The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has published a patent application from Apple that suggests the company could be working on a new pair of headphones that could feature beamforming technology for the HomePod. Beamforming technology is used in Apple’s HomePod to determine the shape of the room the smart speaker is in. It basically measures how far the speaker is from the walls by bouncing sound waves and measuring the time it takes for the sound wave to bounce back to the speaker.
Apple wants to bring the same beamforming technology to its upcoming pair of headphones. The patent states that the headphones may be able to detect where the user's voice is coming from and automatically adjust the sound quality.
The patent application further states that the headphones will feature five microphones built into each earbud, for a total of 10 built-in microphones. This means the headphones will be better equipped to isolate outside voices, even in the most challenging environments. It’s unclear whether Apple plans to launch a pair of headphones with beamforming technology, as manufacturers often file for patents and don’t always develop them later.
Apple is working on a pair of high-end headphones called StudioPods. The company had planned to release the new headphones later this year, but has run into “development challenges,” according to Bloomberg’s sources. Apple is also working on AirPods , which feature a water-resistant design and noise-canceling capabilities.
