AirPods Could Get a Grip: Patent Hints at Wingtips and Controls
Apple has been awarded a patent revealing a potential design upgrade for its popular AirPods and Beats earbuds: integrated wingtips with multi-function buttons. This move could signal a shift towards more secure fits in the increasingly competitive wireless earbud market.
The patent, detailed in official documents, outlines a design where small wingtips, similar in concept to those found on some high-performance athletic earbuds, are integrated into the body of the earbud. These wingtips not only promise a more secure and comfortable fit but also house a crucial addition: a multi-function button.
“The button doings could involve volume adjustments, track skipping, answering calls, and activating voice assistants,” the patent reads.
This new design could be beneficial for users who find that standard AirPods tend to fall out during strenuous activity. It could also appeal to those who prefer having physical controls for their audio experience. While Apple’s current AirPods and Beats earbuds rely primarily on touch controls, the addition of physical buttons might offer a more tactile and intuitive control method for some users.
Although the patent doesn’t guarantee a future product release, it does provide a fascinating glimpse into Apple’s design thinking and potential future offerings. Given the company’s history of innovation and refinement in the earbud market, it wouldn’t be surprising to see these wingtips and multi-function buttons become a reality in future iterations of AirPods or Beats earbuds.
This development could shake up the wireless earbud landscape, especially considering Apple’s strong market position. If Apple does release earbuds with these new features, it could lead to broader adoption of wingtips and physical controls in other brands’ offerings.
We’ll have to wait and see what Apple decides to do next, but these patent details certainly offer an exciting peek into the future of listening.