AirPods 2 could have hands-free 'Hey Siri' feature

The AirPods 2 rumors just keep on coming.

Apple rolled out the first iOS 12.2 beta for developers on Thursday. According to 9to5Mac, which made the discovery, there’s a new, hidden setup menu when configuring AirPods with an iPhone. This new screen includes a prompt to set up “Hey Siri” with AirPods.

“Talk to Siri with your AirPods or iPhone by saying ‘Hey Siri’,” states the new iOS setup screen. Once the Siri setup is complete, 9to5Mac says a user’s AirPods will respond to only the user’s voice commands. The process is similar to the “Hey Siri” setup with other Apple devices, like iPhones and iPads. The report also states that AirPods 2 will process the voice commands and send it to the paired iPhone or iPad. That means users could access Siri without having to touch their AirPods or remove their iPhone from their bag or pocket.

Many eagle-eyed Apple fans actually noticed a possible updated line of AirPods when Apple teased this very "Hey Siri feature" in a video back at the iPhone XS keynote in September. An even earlier Bloomberg report shed some light on a possible AirPods 2 release in 2019, as well as the possibility of health monitoring features.

Just earlier this week a report from Digitimes further fueled speculation by pointing to an AirPods 2 release in the first half of 2019. An Apple patent filing discovered by 9to5Mac also seemingly confirmed the rumored health-related features coming to AirPod 2.

While it’s still unknown exactly when Apple’s new wireless earbuds will be released, with iOS 12.2 on the way, AirPods 2 can’t be too far behind.