United plans to install Bluetooth on its planes (that will be enhanced by Apple’s AirPods Pro)

United Airlines has unveiled plans to install Bluetooth technology on hundreds of its airplanes so that travelers who want to use their wireless headphones when watching their seatback screens can do easily.

This will make United the first major U.S. airline to completely overhaul its fleet with the wire-free tech that United believes will ultimately be enhanced with the use of Apple’s latest wireless AirPods, reports AFAR.

“When we saw the new features of Apple’s AirPods Pro . . . we really felt like this showcased how tech could aid you on your journey,” Jason Birnbaum, United’s chief information officer, said at a press event last week held in a United hangar at San Francisco International Airport. There, representatives from both United and Apple detailed the benefits of using United and Apple tech in tandem.

AFAR says that United has already outfitted more than 100 aircraft—including all of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 and the majority of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes—with seatback screens that have Bluetooth technology and will make it available on more than 800 airplanes by 2032. 

Each time the seatback screens featuring Bluetooth connectivity are installed on an airplane, the technology is being made available on all seats, from the front of the plane to the back, United told AFAR. Customers flying on a Bluetooth-ready airplane will receive a pre-departure email notifying them that there will be Bluetooth available onboard, similar to how fliers are notified when Wi-Fi will be available inflight.

Any wireless headphones can be paired with United’s new seatback Bluetooth technology, not just Apple products. However, at last week’s press conference with United, the tech giant highlighted some of the new features embedded in the company’s latest AirPods Pro that can enhance the wireless headphone experience for travelers. Those include:

• Adaptive Audio: This new listening mode dynamically blends Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation, adjusting the noise control based on the sound in a user’s environment. The breakthrough experience, unlocked by advanced computational audio, allows users to stay aware of their surroundings, while distracting noises — like group chitchat at the office, a vacuum at home, or the din of a local coffee shop — are reduced.
• Conversation Awareness:When a user begins speaking to someone nearby — whether they’re having a quick conversation with a colleague or ordering lunch at a cafe — Conversation Awareness helps to lower the content volume, enhance the voices in front of the user, and reduce background noise.
• Personalized Volume: Using machine learning to understand environmental conditions and volume selections, Personalized Volume automatically fine-tunes the listening experience for users based on their preferences over time.