Apple has rolled out a new firmware update (8A356) alongside iOS 26 that lets your AirPods detect snoring while you sleep. The feature is part of a wider set of health- and usability-focused improvements.
Which Devices & What Capabilities
- Supported Models: AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4, and the newly released AirPods Pro 3
- Other New Features in this Update:
- Auto-pause of audio when the user falls asleep.
- Live translation (beta) via Apple Intelligence.
- Camera remote via AirPods: use the stem squeeze to capture photos/video.
How Snore Detection Works
While Apple hasn’t published every detail, here’s what is known or strongly inferred:
- The system listens for snoring sounds or breathing disturbances while you sleep.
- When it detects snoring above a certain threshold, the AirPods can pause audio playback, to avoid disrupting your rest.
- The feature is likely software-based and built into firmware + the iOS ecosystem. It works without needing additional hardware beyond compatible AirPods and a device running the new firmware.
How This Fits With Apple’s Health & Sleep Features
Apple has been expanding its sleep and health-monitoring capabilities in recent years. Examples:
- The Breathing Disturbances metric in Apple Watch can detect interruptions in breathing patterns during sleep, to flag possible sleep apnea.
- AirPods Pro 2 already include features for hearing health, including a hearing test and hearing-aid style support for mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
Snore detection adds another dimension to how Apple devices can help improve sleep quality and alert users to possible sleep disorders.
Benefits & Possible Concerns
Benefits:
- Helps reduce interruptions in sleep by automatically pausing audio.
- Brings awareness to snoring, which can be a sign of more serious sleep issues (like sleep apnea).
- Adds convenience — less need to manually pause content.
Concerns / Things to Check:
- Privacy: Since it involves listening to audio while you sleep, users may want to know how data is processed, stored, or shared.
- Accuracy: False positives or negatives (detecting snoring when none, or missing snoring) may occur.
- Comfort: Some people may not like wearing earbuds or AirPods for long durations or overnight.
- Battery Usage: Continuous listening or audio analysis may use more battery.
How to Enable Snore Detection
To use the feature, you likely need:
- A compatible AirPods model (Pro 2, Pro 3, etc.).
- Update your AirPods firmware to version 8A356 (or later).
- Update your iPhone to iOS 26 (or whichever version supports the feature). NewsBytes
- In Settings, locate the new sleep or audio & sleep-related features, and turn on “Snore Detection” (or similarly named).
What It Doesn’t Do (Yet)
- It may not be a medical diagnostic tool. Snore detection ≠ clinical diagnosis of sleep‐apnea or related disorders.
- Apple Watch’s “sleep apnea” / “breathing disturbances” features cover different angles (wrist movement, breathing patterns) than purely audio snore detection.
- Support & availability might be limited by region or regulatory approvals. Some health features are rolled out only after local health authority permissions.
Implications for Users
This new capability is part of a trend: wearables and personal tech taking on more health-monitoring responsibilities. Users should:
- Be mindful of data privacy settings.
- Use the feature as a helpful tool, not a substitute for professional health advice.
- Check compatibility and firmware/software versions.
- Understand the trade-offs: comfort, battery life, and accuracy.
Bottom Line
Apple’s addition of snore detection to AirPods marks another move toward smarter, proactive tech that helps improve sleep and health. If you have compatible devices and keep them updated, this could be a useful tool. But as with all health-adjacent tech, it’s best used with awareness (and if needed) in consultation with health professionals.
