Besides a look at the company's upcoming Deep Fusion photography mode, the latest iOS 13 beta includes another preview Apple might not have intended people to see just yet. Digging into the 13.2 developer beta, 9to5Mac discovered an icon that may depict the company's next-generation AirPods.
For the moment, it's best not to read too much into the icon. That said, if it is representative of what the next-generation AirPods will look like, the one interesting detail we can glean is that they'll potentially feature interchangeable rubber tips. This would address the one issue almost everyone has with Apple's Bluetooth headphones: their one size fits all approach.
Elsewhere in iOS 13.2, 9to5Mac found code snippets that detail several different listening modes the headphones will feature. One, for example, is called "focus mode." According to 9to5, the different modes suggest the new AirPods could include active noise cancellation. Rubber and silicone tips help with noise cancellation since they provide a better seal.
As for when we can expect to see a new pair of AirPods, analyst Ming Ching Kuo has a solid track record when it comes to Apple-related rumors. He recently said the company will launch a new pair of AirPods with an "all-new design" either later this year or early next. With Apple reportedly planning to hold another hardware event later this fall, it's possible we could see a new pair of AirPods as soon as this month.
