Despite lagging behind its competitors in the AI race, Apple seems to have ambitious plans for products powered by the tech. According to a recent report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the bitten fruit company is ramping up development on three AI-driven devices. More specifically, the brand is working on smart glasses, AirPods, and a wearable pendant. This comes as part of a push for “new categories” of AI products.
Of course, Siri remains at the heart of all three items. The digital assistant will apparently use visual context to perform tasks. Other than that, these gadgets will pair with an iPhone. A camera system will also be on board, albeit with varying capabilities.
Smart Glasses Planned For 2027
Out of the bunch, the smart glasses will be the more “upscale and feature-rich” offering. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Apple intends to position the wearable as a rival to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Internally known as N50, the device is slated to debut in 2027, assuming the company stays on track. Apparently, the tech giant plans to begin production in December.
Apple’s product will reportedly set itself apart from Meta’s Ray-Bans in terms of build quality and camera technology. The device’s components will be embedded in the frame, which the company is developing in-house. According to Gurman, the design features “high-end” materials including acrylic for a premium feel. Additionally, the frames will be available in varying colours and sizes.
As with many of Meta’s glasses, this model won’t feature a screen, but will come with the usual fare of speakers, microphones, and cameras. Speaking of cameras, the system will include two lenses. The first will be for capturing high-resolution photos and videos. Meanwhile, the second serves to provide the glasses with environmental context, much like the tech in the Vision Pro.
Essentially, the glasses will act as an “all-day” AI companion. Users can look at an object and ask about it, or request assistance with tasks. Other planned functions include complex actions like adding event details from a poster to the user’s calendar, and context-aware reminders. For navigation, Siri may reference real-world landmarks rather than simply giving generic instructions.
Camera-Equipped AirPods And AI Pendant
Unlike the smart glasses, the other two products will be simpler, with lower-resolution cameras only intended to help the AI do its work. The camera-equipped AirPods have been in development for quite some time already, and could launch as early as this year.
On the other hand, the AI-powered pendant is still in its early stages and could still be cancelled. In any case, the product is designed to be similar in size to an AirTag. As per the report, Apple is working to include a clip for attaching the device to clothing. Another way for it to be worn will be via a necklace through a hole in the item.
As for what it does, the pendant is reportedly described as the “eyes and ears” of the iPhone, with an always-on camera for input. Additionally, it will feature a microphone for talking to Siri. For now, the report notes that it is unclear whether the pendant will feature a speaker.
Although the concept sounds a lot like the failed Humane AI Pin, Apple’s take on it will differ slightly. It will reportedly lack a projector or any kind of display system. While it will pack a dedicated chip, it won’t have much computing power. Apparently, it will be much closer to the AirPods rather than an Apple Watch. Basically, the pendant will be more of an iPhone accessory than a standalone device.
Siri-ous Issues Abound
Of course, while it remains to be seen whether the AI pendant will be a hit or a miss, Apple has some more pressing problems. As these devices are focused on AI, a lot hinges on the Siri upgrade. An upgrade which has been delayed time and time again.
Last week, it was reported that the company ran into yet another roadblock. Internal tests revealed reliability and performance issues, which may force a more staggered rollout of the upgrades. Depending on how it all shakes out, some of the new Siri features may only arrive with iOS 26.5, or even iOS 27.
Either way, we will have to wait and see what the future holds. In the meantime, Apple is planning to host its first event of the year soon.
(Source: Bloomberg)
