You might control Apple’s next AirPods earbuds with your tongue

Until now Apple's AirPods wireless earbuds came with a click gesture to control the music playback, incoming calls among other features. However, the company has now been granted a new patent that suggests future AirPods to feature new set of gestures, none of which include touching it directly. Titled “Detecting Through-Body Inputs At A Wearable Audio Device”, the patent (via Digital Trends) describes ways in which it can use the extra sensors embedded in the earbuds.

These sensors can detect signals that originate from the wearer’s body. As per the patent, taps, swipes or presses could be done through a finger placed against a forearm or a cheek. In addition, you can also control certain gestures using clicking of teeth or tongue or even sub vocalizations.

Also read: Samsung accidentally reveals its rival to Apple AirPods Pro and a ‘key’ feature

So how is this supposed to work? According to the patent, you can simply upward swipe on your cheek to increase the volume or downward swipe to lower it. If you want to skip forward a track, you can tap the side of your head twice.

Although this technology sounds like something coming from the sci-fi movies, Apple's decision to bring Body Control Devices might not work well for those with physical disabilities.

Talking about AirPods, the company’s latest headphones, AirPods Max was recently talked about in the media for its missing power button. As it turns out, it just doesn’t have one. That means these headphones can’t be switched off like others, such as Sony XM4, or those coming from Sennheiser or Bose. So, Apple has cleared the air by explaining how the headphones work and save battery life even when they can't be switched off. The headphone apparently has a “low power” mode and a “lower power” mode.