AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 to Get New Head Gestures and Camera Controls: Report

WWDC 2025 starts next week, where Apple is set to preview its latest OS updates and unveil new features for audio products like the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4. Reportedly, these AirPods could gain new head gestures, enabling users to toggle Conversation Awareness and adjust volume simply by moving their heads. Additionally, the earbuds may detect when a user falls asleep and automatically pause music playback.

Exclusive: AirPods to get camera control, sleep detection, new gestures, more https://t.co/IJQuz0kV4p by @mvcmendes — 9to5Mac (@9to5mac) June 4, 2025

Apple is reportedly set to introduce up to five new features for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 at WWDC 2025, according to 9to5Mac. One major update involves expanding head gestures to include Conversational Awareness volume adjustment. This feature could allow the AirPods to automatically lower media volume when they detect a person speaking through a head gesture, then revert to the original noise-control setting once the conversation ends.

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Another anticipated feature is sleep auto-pause, which may detect when the user falls asleep and pause music playback accordingly. This would be an improvement over the existing snooze timer feature, though it’s unclear if it will function independently or require integration with the Apple Watch. Additionally, Apple might introduce camera control via the AirPods, letting users toggle the iPhone or iPad camera by pinching or clicking the AirPods’ stem.

Apple is also expected to bring Audio Mix—a feature debuted with the iPhone 16 series—to its AirPods lineup. Using machine learning, Audio Mix separates speech from other sounds and adjusts background noise and reverb for improved audio quality. While it may not include all three modes currently available on the iPhone, Apple aims to develop a “studio quality” listening experience for the AirPods.

Finally, Apple is working on improving the pairing experience for shared iPad models, which could be especially useful in classroom settings where multiple students use the same device. This enhancement would simplify connecting AirPods to iPadOS, requiring fewer manual steps. More details on these updates are expected to be revealed during Apple’s WWDC 2025 event next week.

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