Canalys agency: Apple AirPods Pro 2 wireless headset seeking stability does not support health tracking

Today the Canalys agency released a report on Experience the Health Tracking Function of True Wireless Headphones (TWS), which stated that Apple's AirPods Pro 2 sound performance has been significantly improved, but its health and sports have not been updated. tracking function. But Apple has spent a lot of time developing health-tracking features that can be integrated into AirPods, but in the end, it has continued to seek stability. From other manufacturers, integrating additional biosensors into TWS headsets is a very challenging task. For most consumers, the related applications of health tracking of TWS headsets are relatively small and have not yet become a strong key point to promote consumer purchases.

The following is the specific report content:

Apple released the second-generation AirPods Pro in the third quarter of 2022, with significantly improved sound performance but no updates to its health and exercise tracking features.

Apple's new AirPods Pro 2 has some highlights, such as adaptive transparency mode, which can protect hearing by automatically reducing high-decibel noise around the user. Aside from hearing protection, however, the latest generation of AirPods Pro doesn't introduce new fitness tracking features.

Apple's development of features, especially untested new features, usually takes a steady and steady approach. Apple has spent a lot of time developing health-tracking features that could be integrated into AirPods, including a 2021 collaboration with Cornell University to use breathing audio to count breathing rates. However, the latest release of the AirPods Pro doesn't have built-in fitness tracking, likely because Apple wants to prioritize improving audio performance in order to drive product upgrades and attract new users. Apple will also need to consider the impact of this new feature on device battery life and ensure the maturity of software and algorithms to avoid a "said but not done" situation. Apple, explores the health and exercise tracking capabilities of AirPods and differentiating them from what the Apple Watch already offers to avoid homogeneous competition.

It can be seen from the unsuccessful attempts of some manufacturers that integrating additional biosensors into TWS headsets is a very challenging task. In 2021, Amazfit released Powerbuds, which can track the user's heart rate and monitor the user's sitting posture to prevent health problems. While the product use case is fairly clear, shipments of the device are not ideal, as consumers are reluctant to pay big bucks for TWS earphones just for health tracking. HONOR, on the other hand, has integrated temperature measurement into its TWS earphones (Honor claims its device has AI monitoring to provide notifications of high and low temperatures), but the purpose of the temperature data is unclear, so it's not a success either Health monitoring application.

For most consumers, the related applications of health tracking of TWS headsets are relatively small and have not yet become a strong key point to promote consumer purchases. However, because the ear is a suitable location for placing sensors for data collection, it makes sense to explore the health-related functions of TWS earphones. The integration of this capability will help expand the use of TWS headsets and drive the next wave of growth in the future. For health tracking to be a key growth driver for TWS headsets, manufacturers must ensure product use cases are more intuitive, provide users with meaningful and actionable information, and invest heavily in years of R&D in partnership with medical institutions to ensure device functionality feasibility and effectiveness.

Survival in a highly competitive market is expected to be a priority for most players in 2022 and 2023 as macroeconomic disruptions impact the personal smart audio device market. In this case, only in 2024 and beyond will the industry have the opportunity to develop and adopt health-tracking capabilities more broadly. Now, manufacturers should set out to map out the rise of multipurpose TWS headsets and develop strategic goals to find a tailor-made place for them in their respective ecosystems to complement their long-term digital health strategies.

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