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Apple’s Camera AirPods Reportedly Enter Final Design Tests

Their release depends on an upgraded Siri that adds visual understanding.

Overview

  • Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, cited by IT之家, reports the camera‑equipped AirPods are in design verification testing with hardware close to final.
  • The earbuds would use low‑resolution cameras as Siri’s eyes to read a scene rather than to take photos or record video.
  • Apple is testing a tiny LED on the earbuds that lights up when visual data goes to the cloud to signal recording activity.
  • Launch timing is tied to a new Siri with visual AI features, reportedly using Google’s Gemini, which is targeted for as soon as September but could slip if quality is not ready.
  • Beyond the earbuds, Apple is developing a clip‑on camera pendant that relies on a paired iPhone and could slip to 2027 or be canceled, and it is testing smart glasses for late 2026 or early 2027 without AR displays.