AirPods and Apple Watch Models to Get Tiny AI Cameras in 2027
Apple plans to add tiny cameras to AirPods and Apple Watch models in 2027 that will embed Apple Intelligence in the devices, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The cameras are expected to scan the environment and describe objects, similar to the Visual Intelligence feature on newer iPhones. Apple is also working on smart glasses that include cameras, microphones, and integrated AI, much like the Ray-Bans from Meta. The glasses are also expected by 2027, according to Gurman.
Apple is developing a new chip for the smart glasses, and it is said to be based on chips that are used in the Apple Watch, so there's likely to be AI feature crossover across the devices.
The cameras could be infrared sensors. In a June 2024 blog post, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple planned to mass produce new AirPods with infrared cameras by 2026. The infrared cameras could potentially enable "in-air gesture control" as well, allowing for device interaction with hand movements, according to Kuo.
Given Kuo's 2026 mass production timeframe, we could potentially see the new AirPods with infrared cameras launch in 2026 or 2027.
Popular Stories
Apple is now selling refurbished versions of the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 at discounted prices.
This is the first time the Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3 have been available through Apple's online refurbished store since the devices launched last September.
Refurbished pricing on the 46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $369, down from $429, while ...
Apple today confirmed that watchOS 27 will not support the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra (first generation), or Apple Watch SE (second generation), effectively drawing a line at devices equipped with the S9 or S10 chip.
The only Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 27 are the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, Ultra 3, and SE 3.
The cuts are the biggest...
Apple today confirmed that the Apple Watch Series 9 is compatible with watchOS 27, after the device was mistakenly omitted from the software's official compatibility page.
Apple updated its website immediately following its WWDC 2026 keynote, and the watchOS 27 page listed a shorter compatibility list than many users expected: the Apple Watch SE 3, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3. ...
