Apple to Add Heart Rate Sensor to AirPods Pro 3, Enabling Users to Send Heart Rate to iPhone During Workouts

Apple today released the iOS 18 RC (Release Candidate) to users registered in the Beta Preview Program, with the official version of iOS 18 set to launch in the coming days.

Code within the iOS 18 RC reveals Apple's plans to integrate new health sensors into the AirPods wireless earbuds. These sensors are designed to monitor users' heart rates during exercise and transmit this data to the iPhone's Health app via Bluetooth.

The latest beta code vaguely references new wireless earbuds equipped with a heart rate sensor, though it doesn't specify the model. Apple engineers noted in the description, "Wear both earphones during workouts to track and send your heart rate to Apple Health, managed through Bluetooth settings."

This code and corresponding strings are found within the system component that Apple uses to manage settings for its wireless earbuds. Today's release of the AirPods 4 did not mention any heart rate sensor functionality.

Thus, it's highly likely that the AirPods Pro 3, expected to launch next spring, will support this feature. Additionally, the Powerbeats Pro 2 is also rumored to include a heart rate sensor for exercise monitoring, with users having the option to disable it to protect their privacy.

This aligns with previous reports from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who stated that the new AirPods Pro 3 would feature a new design and chip to facilitate health-related functions, presumably including the heart rate sensor.

On another note, Apple's primary product for fitness tracking has been the Apple Watch, where heart rate monitoring is a fundamental feature. Integrating a similar function into earbuds, however, marks a first for Apple.