The news was reported by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said that Apple is aiming to start mass production of AirPods with a new camera module in 2026. Bloomberg reported a similar story in February, further solidifying that Apple is indeed making such a move.
According to Kuo, these new AirPods will have an infrared camera similar to the Face ID module on the iPhone and iPad. Apple's goal is to enhance the AirPods' ability to coordinate with Vision Pro and other future Apple Vision kits.
" For example, when a user watches a video using Vision Pro while wearing the new AirPods, if they turn their head to look in a specific direction, the sound source in that direction can be enhanced to enhance the simulated spatial experience, " Ming-Chi Kuo writes.
Additionally, the infrared camera on AirPods can detect changes in the environment. In other words, users can use hand gestures, without touching, to control AirPods.
It is likely that Foxconn will be the supplier of the infrared cameras that go on the AirPods. If true, Foxconn is expected to produce around 10 million pairs of AirPods per year.
In February, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that AirPods with cameras were just one of several new wearable ideas Apple was working on. Other potential tech products include smart glasses, a smart ring, and a next-generation Apple Watch.
According to 9to5Mac, combining with the Vision product line is just a small branch of the many potentials that Airpods with cameras can exploit. With AI technology and computer vision, the new generation Airpods can read a variety of inputs from users such as voice, gestures, images...
In the comments section on 9to5Mac, some netizens believe that the infrared camera could also be Apple's step forward in supporting the visually impaired in daily life by increasing spatial recognition, warning of danger, warning of collisions...
In addition, the fact that the infrared camera module used is similar to the FaceID module also gives an important hint: this module can recognize objects and faces when combined with software, improve interactions for the visually impaired or other AR functions for normal users. Of course, these features will still have to rely on the power of software, and how Apple integrates all of this into a small headphone body is still an unanswered question.
Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/airpods-se-co-camera.html
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