AirPods from Apple can improve their features a lot. At least that’s what a new patent published by the company suggests, in which they describe how the case for their wireless earbuds might include small touch screen to perform some controls. Yes, as if it were an iPod nano.

The patent, in particular, was published by Apple in September 2021. However, it has not yet been published by the US Patent and Trademark Office. gets a name “Devices, Methods, and Interaction of the Graphical User Interface with the Headphone Case” and details, among other things, on how to make the box used to charge AirPods more useful by introducing a screen.

“The usefulness of the headset case can be increased and user control over wireless headsets can be improved,” the patent says. Apple specifies that this will be possible “by customizing the headphone case with an interactive user interface that allows the user to control the operations associated with the wireless headphones.” For example, hefor playing music, switching sound output modes, etc.

“You need a headphone case that can control the operations traditionally associated with headphones (such as controlling playback, switching audio sources, switching audio output modes, etc.). Also needed is a headset case that can communicate information to the user via tactile and/or display devices. […]. Such methods and interfaces reduce the amount, amount and/or nature of user input and provide a more efficient human-machine interface.

Some AirPods with a playback control screen we probably won’t see

You can also see various images in the patent showing what this screen would look like on the front of the AirPods case. One of the images shows playback controls for what looks like Apple Music. It includes, for example, the ability to go back or skip a song, pause or resume it, or increase the volume. This screen will likely also let you invoke Siri, play visual content like album art, or even control the AirPods Pro’s various cancel modes.

We must not forget, yes, that this is a patent; from a simple idea proposed by Apple, which, unfortunately, is unlikely to be implemented. Still, it’s interesting to see how AirPods could become an iPod Nano-like device.

Apple, we recall, also plans to make AirPods a health-oriented device. With features and sensors that allow the user get some sort of auditory diagnosis. The company, on the other hand, also has some very interesting patents published for other products. Among them is a system capable of scanning a person’s entire body using an iPhone to provide health or physical condition data.

Source: Hiper Textual

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I'm Ben Stock, a highly experienced and passionate journalist with a career in the news industry spanning more than 10 years. I specialize in writing content for websites, including researching and interviewing sources to produce engaging articles. My current role is as an author at Gadget Onus, where I mainly cover the mobile section.

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