Rumor: New AirPods with health tracking features coming in the first half of the year

Apple’s second get AirPods will arrive in the first half of 2019 with health tracking features, according to a DigiTimes report that quotes unnamed “industry sources.” The article says the updated earbuds should receive an “enthusiastic market response,” even as competition heats up.

“At the moment, Taiwan’s two leading flexible PCB suppliers Zhen Ding Tech and Flexium Interconnect mainly deliver shipments for Apple Watch and AirPods, but they will also move to land orders from other brand vendors or for other applications,” says DigiTimes. “Meanwhile, Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech Printed Circuit Board also supply rigid-flex boards for AirPods, and they also expect other brand vendors of earbuds to bring new revenue sources in 2019.”

Chances this rumor is true, according to the Sellers Research Group (that’s me): 100%. This is the next logical step for the AirPods considering Apple’s focus on health matters.

I’m also predicting an 80% chance that those AirPods will come with a wireless charging case that will work with Apple’s long-overdue AirPower charger.