"Apple's rumored AirPods with cameras are nearing a stage where the company will test early mass production, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Currently, Apple testers are "actively using" prototypes that are in the design validation test stage, which is one step before the production validation test stage."
"The AirPods' cameras "aren't designed" to snap photos or video but instead can take in "visual information in low resolution" that users can query Siri about, like asking the AI assistant what they should cook with the ingredients they have in front of them, according to Gurman. They may also use the cameras to help with things like turn-by-turn directions."
"These new AirPods will look like the AirPods Pro 3 but have longer stems due to the camera technology, Gurman says. The AirPods will have a "small" LED light to indicate when "visual data is being fed into the cloud." Apple apparently wanted to launch the new AirPods as early as sometime in the first half of 2026, but that was pushed following delays to its upgraded Siri."
"Apple's push into AI-infused gadgets will put it in competition with Meta, which has had success with its smart glasses, and might give the company a leg up on OpenAI, which is reportedly making a phone. Apple is also developing smart glasses and an AI pendant that could launch as soon as early 2027, according to Gurman."
Apple is nearing early mass production testing for AirPods with cameras. Testers are actively using prototypes in the design validation stage, which comes before production validation. The cameras are not intended for taking photos or video; they capture low-resolution visual information that users can query through Siri, such as cooking suggestions based on ingredients. The cameras may also support turn-by-turn directions. The devices are expected to resemble AirPods Pro 3 but with longer stems for the camera hardware and a small LED indicating visual data being fed to the cloud. Launch timing may align with improved Siri in September 2026. Apple’s AI-focused wearables place it against Meta’s smart glasses and alongside plans for smart glasses and an AI pendant in early 2027.
Read at The Verge
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