Future AirPods, AirPods Pro (and Apple Glasses) may offer haptic feedback

Future AirPods and AirPod Pros — as well as the rumored “Apple Glasses” — may use haptic (touch) feedback to direct a wear to performa certain actions, according to a newly granted Apple patent (number 10,966,007) for a “haptic output system.”

The user could be directed to the person speaking in a FaceBook or Zoom online meeting. The wearer of a augmented reality head-mounted display could be directed to look in a certain direction while playing a game or navigating a computer-generated environment. And more.

Here’s the summary of the invention: “A method of providing a haptic output includes detecting a condition; determining if a head-mounted haptic accessory comprising an array of two or more haptic actuators is being worn by a user; determining an actuation pattern for the array of haptic actuators; and in response to detecting the condition and determining that the head-mounted haptic accessory is being worn by the user, initiating the actuation pattern to produce a directional haptic output that is configured to direct the user’s attention along a direction.”