AirPods could soon let you control your camera, detect sleep, use head gestures and more

Apple’s AirPods are getting smarter! And not just in a marginal, spec-bump sort of way. According to a report from 9to5Mac, a slate of features may be on the docket for WWDC 2025 that could fundamentally change how you interact with your AirPods, and by extension, your iPhone and iPad. If you’re an AirPods user, these features will definitely make you sit up and take notice. Here’s a breakdown of what’s coming.

Your head might become a remote

You may already be able to nod your head to take a call with AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 4, but Apple’s taking the idea further. New head gestures are reportedly in the works; this time to let you do things like end ‘Conversation Awareness’ mode (the feature that dips audio when you start talking to someone IRL) without touching a thing. Just tilt or nod, and your AirPods will know what to do. It’s not telepathy, although, to be honest, it’s not far off either.

Sleep detection is coming to AirPods

Falling asleep to a podcast or indie playlist is great; until it keeps playing for hours, draining your phone’s battery. Apple is working on automatic sleep detection on AirPods that pauses your content when it senses you’ve drifted off. No sleep timer. No tapping in the dark. It’s unclear whether this tech will be embedded directly in AirPods or if it’ll sync with Apple Watch’s existing sleep tracking. Either way, it’s about time.

Camera shutter, in your ear?

Remember the early days when Apple’s EarPods could snap a photo with a volume button press? AirPods might be next. A stem press could soon act as a remote shutter for your iPhone or iPad camera. You’ll technically be touching your ear in every remote selfie, but practicality beats aesthetics here. Especially for vloggers, solo travelers, and anyone who’s ever tried to prop their phone up with a water bottle.

Studio mics on AirPods

With creators relying more on their phones for content, Apple seems ready to enter the mobile mic game. A new ‘studio-quality’ mic mode, similar to the Audio Mix feature introduced with the iPhone 16, is reportedly coming to AirPods. If it works as intended, your AirPods might just moonlight as lavalier mics, minus the wires and extra gear.

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Easier sharing in classrooms

Apple is also thinking beyond the individual user. A feature aimed at making AirPods work more seamlessly with shared iPads in classroom settings is in the pipeline. It’s small, but practical. There will be fewer pairing issues, fewer frustrated teachers, and a step closer to making AirPods feel less like a personal accessory and more like flexible hardware.

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When can you expect these features?

Perhaps the most notable part? These features aren’t rumoured for a brand-new model. They could land on existing AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 as well. If even half of these upgrades show up at WWDC 2025, AirPods may inch even closer to becoming wearables in the truest sense – not just for listening, but for interacting, and living smarter.

The keynote goes live June 9. Stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma to see what sticks.