Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

Animation discovered in new iOS 13.2 beta points to unreleased AirPods feature

Published Oct 10th, 2019 6:04PM EDT

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

Rumors continue to circulate that Apple is planning to introduce a new AirPods design soon that incorporates one of the most oft-requested features from fans. We’re talking, of course, about noise cancellation, something we reported earlier this month may be introduced in a brand new AirPods model by the end of this year.

With only a few months to go in 2019, releasing the headphones with this new feature might make them an especially attractive holiday buy. We may learn more details as to release timing later this month, should Apple decide to hold a special event, following its September iPhone presentation, as has been anticipated. Till then, meanwhile, a new animation discovered in the latest iOS 13.2 beta offers yet another clue that the noise cancellation feature may be coming soon.

Via Twitter (@_inside), an animation found in iOS 13.2’s second developer beta shows users “how to change noise cancelation options on the new AirPods”. From the Control Center, the user would tap the volume icon which then expands to show a slider at the bottom — with that slider presumably being the way you’d change the noise cancellation setting while wearing the AirPods. Here’s what it looks like:

This follows a new icon found in an earlier iOS 13.2 beta that seems to provide a look at the new AirPods design we’ve been hearing about — a design that slightly tweaks the original and adds what looks like rubber tips on the side of both earbuds. If Apple does decide on a holiday release for the AirPods 3, it would be interesting timing since the current version of the AirPods were only introduced a few months ago. Then again, competition among wireless headphone makers is fiercer than ever these days, so perhaps it would make sense for Apple to get the next version of this popular product out sooner than later.

Andy Meek Trending News Editor

Andy Meek is a reporter based in Memphis who has covered media, entertainment, and culture for over 20 years. His work has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, Forbes, and The Financial Times, and he’s written for BGR since 2015. Andy's coverage includes technology and entertainment, and he has a particular interest in all things streaming.

Over the years, he’s interviewed legendary figures in entertainment and tech that range from Stan Lee to John McAfee, Peter Thiel, and Reed Hastings.