Apple will release an upgraded version of its wireless AirPods headphones this year, according to a report.

The Cupertino, California-based technology giant is working on a new version for release as soon as this year with an upgraded wireless chip, Bloomberg reports, without naming their sources. The new model will let people use Apple's Siri digital assistant without physically tapping the headphones, in a similar manner to how a user activates Siri on an iPhone. The new headphones are expected to include an upgraded Apple-designed wireless chip for managing Bluetooth connections.

A subsequent model for as early as next year is planned to be water resistant, the report added.

Apple introduced the first AirPods in 2016 alongside the iPhone 7 as a way to replace the traditional wired headphone jack.

Apple has also said it is releasing an upgraded AirPods case this year that allows the headphones to be recharged wirelessly. The company is also working on an augmented-reality headset that would launch in 2020 at the earliest.