Why Apple Might Put Cameras Into Its Next AirPods
Key takeaways
- According to Bloomberg’s well-sourced Mark Gurman, Apple has designed camera-equipped AirPods to allow Siri “to see” the wearer’s surroundings.
- However, a source who asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the matter tells WIRED that Apple will likely delay the camera AirPods.
- According to Bloomberg, these AirPods have larger stems to house low-resolution cameras—they act as Siri’s eyes as visual context for spoken requests.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story If you were to ding Apple’s privacy credentials in one move, you could do worse than to launch Air Pods with cameras. Whether or not they come to market, all of Apple’s existing ubiquitous earbuds would become a question mark for everyone in their vicinity: Are they recording me right now?
According to Bloomberg’s well-sourced Mark Gurman, Apple has designed camera-equipped AirPods to allow Siri “to see” the wearer’s surroundings. They’re in the late stages of testing with Apple employees as part of an “AI device push.”
However, a source who asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the matter tells WIRED that Apple will likely delay the camera AirPods. While the hardware is ready, Siri's visual intelligence is not up to par. Apple executives are also worried that the company is introducing a significant privacy risk with earbuds' cameras without compelling use cases. Apple did not immediately respond to WIRED's request for comment.