Apple just hit a major milestone in its development of AirPods with cameras, according to a new report.
Bloomberg reports today that Apple’s work on AirPods with built-in cameras has “entered a phase where prototypes demonstrate near-final design and capabilities.”
There will be a camera in the right and left earbuds, according to the report. However, the cameras will not be used to capture photos or videos. Instead, they will serve as Siri’s “eyes” and capture the environment around a user in low resolution.
The idea is to allow users to ask questions about something they might be looking at. For example, they might be confronted with food ingredients and asked what they should cook for dinner. It’s a similar experience to what someone gets when uploading photos to AI services like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or the iPhone’s own visual intelligence feature.
Apple has also been working on other uses for AI cameras. The device could give the user a reminder based on something the camera sees, or it could use external visuals to provide more advanced step-by-step instructions. The AI could cite a specific landmark ahead to tell users when they should turn.
These AirPods would feature longer stems than normal AirPods Pro to accommodate the cameras. Otherwise, they will look largely the same.
AirPods with cameras will include a small LED that “will light up when visual data is brought into the cloud.”
AirPods are reportedly in advanced testing, with testers within Apple using prototypes in the Design Validation Testing, “or DVT, development stage. The next and final stage is “Production Validation Testing,” or PVT. This is when Apple will begin mass production of the product.
In terms of release date, Bloomberg said Apple had planned a launch as early as the first half of this year. This launch was postponed due to ongoing delays affecting Apple’s next-generation version of Siri. AirPods have been in development at Apple for four years.
Apple reportedly expects “strong demand” for camera-equipped AirPods and is working on secure components for mass production.
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