Given Apple's success with the AirPods and AirPods Pro, we know that these wireless earbuds will not be the last word in the company's audio gear. Apple is reportedly working on over-the-ear headphones, and the AirPods Studio is expected to appear this year.

But we don't need to wait for Apple's product launch event to get an idea of what these headphones will look like; thanks to a recent patent application discovered by AppleInsider, we have a better We get an idea.

Of course, Apple can't just settle for making over-the-ear headphones. In its patent application, Apple describes both "circumaural" headphones, which cover the outside of the ear, and "supra-aural" headphones, which are worn over the ear without completely covering the ear. The name of this application refers to its new project: "headphones with increased back volume."

Among the features described in the patent is a way to sense that a "smarter" headset is being worn correctly, as mentioned in an earlier Apple Glass patent. The patent also details a headband that can "rotate around a yaw axis of rotation" and a "time-of-flight sensor configured to measure the angular change in the earpiece." These theoretical headphones can tell if they are being worn, if the cups are in the correct ear, etc., and aim to provide headphones that fit a variety of people in a range of sizes.

Another Apple patent related to headphones describes a "telescoping stem assembly." In short, Apple wants to perfect a way for headphones to properly fit various head sizes and at the same time be foldable and easy to carry.

Apple's motivation here seems to be to find a way to produce better fitting headphones that can be carried around.

"Headphones have been in use for over 100 years now, but the design of the mechanical frame used to secure the earpiece to the user's ear has remained somewhat fixed. This makes some overhead headphones difficult to carry easily without the use of bulky cases or wearing them around the neck in a conspicuous way when not in use."

Since there is no mention of the "AirPods Studio" in the patent, it is possible that what is described in the document is unrelated to Apple's rumored headphones. And by its nature, Apple has not even confirmed that such a product is in development, even if it is rumored to be coming along with the iPhone 12 and Apple Watch 6 this fall.