Apple's AirPods Studio was already rumored to be different from other AirPods we've seen thanks to its over-the-ear design. But newly released patents indicate that Apple may give the Studio the smarts to compete (and beat) the Bose 700.

We had already heard that Apple was working on a touch-sensitive surface for the ear cups, but this latest trick shows that Apple plans to make that surface even smarter. [Patently According to Apple's newly published patent titled "Headphone Rotation Detection," the Cupertino-based company is experimenting with technology that can tell where the headphones are positioned. This could allow AirPods Studio to adjust how the touch input on the side works based on how you are wearing them.

Then AirPods Studio would respond the same way when the user swipes in different directions on the headphones. Most of these gestures can be used to skip tracks by pointing two fingers forward, rewind by pointing two fingers backward, and increase or decrease volume by pointing two fingers up or down.

Since we don't all wear headphones in the same way, this would be a useful trick (if realized - not all patents are - but it would be a useful trick.) AirPods stick out of a person's ears in all directions, or over-ear headphones have a band that I have seen countless times in the past when they are worn on the top of the head, slanted away or horizontal.

The aforementioned Bose 700 headphones also offer gesture controls, but they do not allow for intuitive positioning of the headphones.

According to a leak from May of this year, the AirPods Studio entered mass production earlier this year and could arrive any day now. Will Apple make it in time for the fall iPhone 12 event, or will it be saved for later? As a fan of both the over-ear headphones and the AirPods, I can say that I would not be surprised to see a fall/winter release.