Apple Patents Air Pressure Sensor; Next-Gen AirPods Pro May Feature New Tech

Apple has been working on the next-generation of its gadgets, including the iPhone 12 and wireless earbuds. The recently launched AirPods Pro came with an enhanced noise-canceling feature for the third-generation of the truly-wireless earbuds from the company. Now, Apple has patented a new 'Air Pressure Sensor' technology for future wireless earphones.

Apple Air Pressure Sensor Technology

According to the Patently Apple, the iPhone maker is working on integrating the new air pressure sensor for the future earphones. The US Patent and Trademark Office has officially published a series of 61 patents for Apple. Out of these, there is also a possible patent for the next-generation AirPods Pro or even the Powerbeats Pro.

The term air pressure sensor has appeared in the patent 82 times, which also includes 14 times in Apple's all-important patent claims. Basically, the new Apple air pressure sensor produces an air pressure signal, which indicates the air pressure within the ear canal.

"Apple's granted patent states that one of the aspects of the invention is a method performed by an earphone for confirming that the earphone is to be activated (eg. wirelessly paired with a media playback device) by determining a current usage state of the earphone," notes the report. It means that the air pressure sensor will be inserted along with the speaker and into the canal of the user.

The next question is: what will the sensors do? The air pressure sensors will detect the change in the air pressure within the ear canal concerning the ambient atmospheric pressure. The changes in the air pressure are caused by the tip of the earphone - when a 'seal' is created within the ear canal. It then compresses the air volume.

Now, we need to wait and see if the new patented technology will be featured on which devices. It's expected that Apple will pack the air pressure sensor in the next generation of wireless earphones. Apple is known for its innovations and it could apply the sensor in other gadgets as well.

It goes without saying that this is just a patent and there's no certainty that it will make it to the production stage. Major firms like Apple keep patenting new technologies and concepts, most of which never see the light of day. So before getting too excited, we advise you to hold your horses and wait for the company to make it official.