“From an accessibility standpoint, this head-tracking technology could be revolutionary.
It essentially turns the AirPods into a powerful, compact environmental control system.
AR FTW
Apple’s promo video showed one neat aspect of head gestures.
If only they weren’t disposable they’d be perfect.Sophia Stark / Unsplash
He shakes his head no, and Siri bumps the call.
This interaction also works anywhere that Siri might require a yes/no answer, and it’s frankly genius.
Nodding and shaking your head feels much better suited to interacting with Siri than having to talk to it.
Who wants to talk to Siri in public?.Apple
Or from its research into interpreting fist squeezes and finger taps for Apple Watch control.
You see where we’re going here.
At the least, adding interactions gives people more choice to fit the computer to their own abilities.
Some AirPods Pro.Miguel Angel Avila / Unsplash
It isn’t limited to accessibility and goes beyond making the AirPods more usable and versatile for users!
AirPods Upgrade
In iOS 18, the AirPods Pro are getting some pretty impressive upgrades overall.
One is anew hearing-aid mode, which can provide simple boosts and corrections for anyone who needs them.
Miguel Angel Avila / Unsplash
“The hearing aid mode is also a huge accessibility win in my view.
By leveraging the AirPods' impressive audio processing capabilities, Apple is democratizing access to affordable hearing assistance.
This could improve communication, safety and quality of life for millions,” says Justice.
Also new for AirPods Pro is more control over the adaptive noise feature.
And there’s more.
The AirPods Pro are already one of Apple’s best products, and they just keep getting better.
Update 7/1/2024: Updated source attribution in paragraph 2.
