Apple is developing a version of the AirPods Pro equipped with an infrared camera, according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device is currently in the design validation stage, the last step before early production. Its launch has been pushed back from earlier this year to fall 2026.
Camera stem and privacy LED detailed
The camera-equipped AirPods Pro will resemble the AirPods Pro 3 but with a larger stem to accommodate the cameras. The infrared camera is akin to the Face ID dot projector, used for proximity detection and 3D depth-mapping. The device will feed visual information to a new version of Siri for contextual awareness. For privacy, an LED indicator will light up whenever visual data is streamed.
The product is expected to launch globally in fall 2026.
Apple is also developing other AI wearables, including display-less smart glasses expected in early 2027 and an AI pendant about the size of an AirTag. Incoming CEO John Ternus has internally teased that Apple is "about to change the world." It remains unclear whether the AI pendant will include dedicated speakers, as Apple engineers are still undecided.
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