AIRPODS
AirPods Max 2 gets a mystery firmware update
Apple updated AirPods Max 2 firmware from build 8E251 to 8E258 with no release notes and no manual install option.
AIRPODS2 min read
The Apple Hearing Study Just Made the Case AirPods Have Been Trying to Make for Years
Apple's research with the University of Michigan, run across 160,000 U.S. participants since 2019, found that 16% of people who tested within the WHO normal-hearing range still rated their own hearing as fair or poor, and worse self-reported hearing correlated with slower walking speed in adults over 60. AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3 run continuous hearing tests and FDA-cleared hearing-aid mode in real environments, which is the kind of measurement a clinical booth test cannot do.
AIRPODS2 min read
AirPods With Cameras Are Apple's Trojan Horse for Glasses
Cameras in earbuds first, glasses second. Apple is building the installed base before it builds the platform.
APPLE AIRPODS ULTRA1 min read
AirPods Have the Most to Gain From a Smarter Siri
Apple confirmed in January 2026 that Siri's next overhaul will run on a custom set of Google Gemini-based foundation models, with full conversational back-and-forth, multi-step actions, and personal context across your apps. The new Siri is expected at WWDC on June 8 and shipping in iOS 27 this fall, which would turn AirPods Pro 3 from passive earbuds into the primary interface for everything an iPhone does.
AIRPODS2 min read
AirPods Ultra Is the One Worth Watching
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported Apple is planning iPhone Ultra, MacBook Ultra, and AirPods Ultra for this year, all priced above their Pro siblings. AirPods Pro 3 already track your heart rate and 50-plus workout types, and AirPods Ultra would add infrared cameras that let Siri see your surroundings, turning earbuds into a head-worn computer that happens to play music.