The rumored new Apple earbuds may look similar to the AirPods Pro 3. | Image by PhoneArena
AirPods are one of the most exciting and loved Apple products since the launch of the original iPhone. That may soon change as the company is reportedly entering a new phase in the development of the rumored AirPods Ultra.
Apple’s AirPods with cameras reach the late stage of development
Apple’s first camera-equipped AirPods have entered an almost final phase of their development, according to a Bloomberg report. The company is reportedly testing prototypes with designs and capabilities that are very close to the final product.
The earbuds will rely on one camera in each bud to see the space surrounding a user, though those cameras will capture information in low resolution. Similar in design to the AirPods Pro 3, the buds are currently at the design validation stage of development, preceding the production validation test phase and mass production.
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A key design difference with the AirPods Pro 3 could be a longer stem on each bud. The goal of that change is to accommodate the newly added cameras.
Why AirPods with cameras?
The new earbuds may be called AirPods Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena
Apple’s idea is for the new AirPods to be the “eyes” of Siri, allowing users to ask the AI assistant questions about things they’re using. Those features may work similarly to uploading images to chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini or Apple’s Visual Intelligence features.
Another rumored feature could be reminders based on the information the cameras see, as well as more advanced turn-by-turn directions. The buds are also expected to feature small LED lights that would notify when visual data is being uploaded to the cloud.
A flop in development
What people want from their earbuds is quite simple. Great audio quality, long battery life, and microphones that make you sound good when you answer calls with your buds. Of course, the killer feature of the AirPods Pro has always been the combo of fantastic active noise cancellation and a great transparency mode.
What would make you consider buying AI-powered earbuds with built-in cameras?
What nobody wants from yet another device is to constantly monitor their lives. Another thing that I believe will face serious backlash is the unavoidably higher price Apple will charge for its first wearable designed around AI.
More importantly, all these features are certainly going to work much better with people’s phones and their advanced cameras. AI is already unreliable enough to make users question it, but if you add low resolution cameras to the equation, things are certainly not going to work better.
Enough with the hype
Of course, there’s a slight chance that Apple develops a new killer product that lands with features users feel they must have. I can’t imagine that happening anytime soon, though.
It’s been almost two years since Apple’s promised overhaul of Siri, and we have barely seen any signs of it. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the AI age, it's that we shouldn’t believe the disproportionate pre-launch hype, even if that’s coming from Apple.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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