Apple Working on Three AI Wearables: Smart Glasses, AI Pin, and AirPods With Cameras

Source: MacRumors

Smart Glasses

• Competition: Aimed at competing with Meta’s Ray‑Ban collaboration.
• Timeline: Prototypes have been given to Apple’s hardware engineering team; target launch in 2027 with possible production start as early as December 2026.
• Cameras:
  • Primary high‑resolution camera for photos and video.
  • Secondary camera provides visual information to Siri and supplies environmental context, similar to LiDAR on the iPhone.
• Display: No display is embedded in the lens.
• Interface: Voice‑based interaction through Siri.
• Capabilities:
  • Interact with Siri, make phone calls, listen to music, take photos and video.
  • Identify objects, provide detailed navigation directions, read physical text (e.g., event dates) and add to Calendar, offer context‑aware reminders, and enable live translation.
• Build Quality: Apple is developing its own frames in‑house, using high‑end materials such as acrylic elements for a premium feel, differentiating the glasses from Meta’s offering.
• Design Options: Multiple sizes and colors at launch, with additional styles possible over time.
• Battery: Latest prototypes embed the battery and all components within the frame, targeting an all‑day AI companion.

AI Pin

• Stage: Early development; could be canceled, but if it proceeds a launch is possible as early as 2027.
• Camera: Lower‑resolution, always‑on camera that provides visual insight for the AI but cannot capture photos or video.
• Microphone: Included for speaking with Siri; described by some Apple employees as the “eyes and ears” of the iPhone.
• iPhone Accessory: Marketed primarily as an iPhone accessory rather than a standalone device.
• Chip: Contains a dedicated chip similar to the one used in AirPods; most processing is offloaded to the iPhone.
• Speaker: May include a speaker for two‑way Siri conversations, though this is not yet decided.
• Form Factor: Can attach via a clip to clothing or a bag, and features a hole for hanging on a necklace or pendant.

AirPods with Cameras

• Development: Multiple reports confirm Apple is working on AirPods equipped with cameras; development is further along than the AI pin.
• Timeline: Planned for release as early as this year.
• Camera: Low‑resolution camera intended for extracting information rather than capturing photos or video.

Siri

• Current Status: Siri’s rollout has been delayed; new Apple Intelligence features were absent from the iOS 26.4 beta.
• Future: Apple is developing a chatbot version of Siri for iOS 27.
• Underlying Technology: The chatbot will rely on AI models developed by Google.

Future Devices

• AR Smart Glasses: Apple plans to eventually release smart glasses with an augmented‑reality display, though this is several years away.
• HomePod: A new HomePod is reportedly in development.
• Indoor Sensor: Apple is also working on a compact indoor sensor for home security and automation.

Source

This article first appeared on MacRumors.com.