- Apple is reportedly accelerating development on three distinct AI-powered wearables: smart glasses, an AI pendant, and camera-equipped AirPods, all linked to a next-generation Siri.
- The rumored smart glasses, codenamed N50, could target production as early as December 2026 for a potential 2027 release, aiming to compete with Meta and Google.
- This ambitious push highlights Apple's strategy to embed AI into novel, camera-centric form factors, but its success hinges on overcoming significant software and market challenges.
Apple is betting your next computer won't fit in your pocket. It'll hang on your face, clip to your shirt, or sit in your ears. According to a stack of recent reports, the company is fast-tracking three new wearable devices—glasses, a pendant, and camera-equipped AirPods—each built to make a supercharged Siri your constant companion. This isn't just about iterating on the Watch. It's a full-court press to embed AI into the fabric of your day, using cameras as its eyes. And it's a direct shot across the bow at Meta, Google, and every startup trying to own the space between your smartphone and your skin.
The Reported Trio: Smart Glasses, AI Pin, and Seeing AirPods
Here's what sources like Bloomberg say is in the pipeline. Think of it as Apple's three-pronged probe into a post-smartphone world. They're testing which form factor you'll actually tolerate wearing all day.
Apple's Smart Glasses (Codenamed N50)
This is the big one. Codenamed N50, these are framed as Apple's answer to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. They're audio-focused, with built-in speakers and a camera for photos and video. The hook is that they'll connect to your iPhone and a new, smarter Siri. The timeline is aggressive: Bloomberg reports Apple is "targeting the start of production as early as December," which could mean a 2027 release. That tells you how serious they are about catching up.
The AI-Powered Pendant or Pin
Yes, Apple is making its own version of a Humane AI Pin. Earlier reports from The Information describe it as a "thin, flat, circular disc with an aluminum-and-glass shell," about the size of an AirTag. It's said to pack two cameras, a speaker, and three microphones. The Bloomberg report confirms it, calling it "reminiscent of the failed Humane AI pin, but with several key differences." Apple's bet is that its ecosystem and polish can succeed where Humane's novel idea crashed into brutal reality.
Camera-Equipped AirPods
This is the wildcard. The rumor suggests Apple is working on AirPods with cameras. It sounds strange, but the logic is clear: if every wearable is a conduit for an AI that needs to see, why not your earbuds? Imagine asking Siri what that building is, and it uses the camera in your ear to identify it. It's the most speculative of the three, but it underscores the theme—Apple wants cameras everywhere.
The Common Thread: AI and Camera Integration
So what ties a pendant, glasses, and weird AirPods together? Two things: a camera and a brain.
Every one of these devices would be "linked to Apple's iPhone" and "built around Siri." The wearable handles the seeing and hearing, while your phone (or the cloud) does the heavy AI lifting. The camera isn't just for taking pics. It's the sensor that lets the AI understand your context. Is that your keys on the counter? Can you read that sign? What's that plant? It's a shift from wearables that monitor you to devices that perceive your world.
Competitive Landscape and Market Context
Apple isn't exploring this frontier alone. The entire industry is scrambling to put AI on your body.
| Competitor | Product/Initiative | Market Position |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | Ray-Ban Smart Glasses (with Meta AI) | Established, consumer-focused smart glasses with camera and AI. |
| Android XR platform, previous Glass enterprise focus | Developing ecosystem for extended reality and AI. | |
| Humane | AI Pin | Pioneered the AI pendant category but faced poor reviews and commercial challenges. |
| OpenAI/Samsung | Reported collaborations on AI hardware | Exploring new form factors for AI assistants. |
As the sources note, "big tech companies like Apple, OpenAI, Meta, Google, and Samsung are all racing to produce new AI wearables." Apple's glasses are a direct attempt to "catch up with Meta’s Ray-Ban and Google’s Android XR." Their pendant walks into a category Humane just set on fire. Apple's advantage is its seamless ecosystem and design chops. But that only matters if the software works.
Challenges and Hurdles on the Road to Release
Ambition is one thing. Execution is another. Apple's plan faces some very concrete walls.
The Siri Software Challenge
This is the biggest one. These devices are useless without a "much smarter version of Siri." And that next-gen Siri "continues to face delays." One source put it bluntly: "Ideally, we don’t end up in another situation where the hardware is ready and waiting on the software." We've seen this movie before with HomePod. Stunning hardware, stalled by incomplete software.
Design, Battery, and Social Acceptance
Each device has its own mountain to climb. Glasses need to look good and last all day. A pendant has to prove it's not just a worse iPhone. And camera AirPods? They need to solve miniaturization, battery life, and the sheer creepiness of having a camera pointed out of your ear in public.
Learning from the Competition's Mistakes
Look at the Humane AI Pin. It was slow, it overheated, its battery life was bad, and nobody knew why they needed it. The Bloomberg report mentioning the "failed Humane AI pin" isn't an accident. It's a warning label Apple is trying to read.
Comparison of Rumored Apple AI Wearables
| Device | Rumored Key Features | Primary Use Case | Potential Release Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Glasses (N50) | Audio-focused, high-resolution camera, built-in speakers, iPhone-linked. | Hands-free photography, audio, AI-assisted information overlay. | Production could start late 2026; release possibly in 2027. |
| AI Pendant/Pin | AirTag-sized disc, two cameras, three mics, speaker, aluminum-glass shell. | Always-available AI assistant, contextual visual and audio interaction. | Unspecified, but development is accelerating. |
| AI AirPods with Cameras | Standard AirPods form factor with integrated camera(s). | Audio combined with contextual visual AI assistance. | Unspecified; likely in early exploratory stages. |
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Apple release these AI wearables?
Only the smart glasses have a semi-specific rumored timeline, with production potentially starting in late 2026 for a possible 2027 release, while the AI pendant and camera AirPods have no reported launch windows.
How are these different from the Apple Vision Pro?
The reported smart glasses are audio-focused, lightweight wearables for everyday use, unlike the Vision Pro, which is a full mixed-reality headset for immersive computing.
Will these devices work without an iPhone?
Reports state all three devices would be "linked to Apple's iPhone," suggesting they will initially require a companion iPhone for full functionality and connectivity.
Is Apple playing catch-up in the AI wearable space?
Yes, reports frame Apple's smart glasses as an effort to catch up with Meta's Ray-Ban glasses and position its AI pendant as a response to devices like the Humane AI Pin.
Final Thoughts
This rumor mill isn't about a new color for the iPhone. It's a blueprint for Apple's next decade. The company sees a future where the iPhone is the brain in your bag, and these wearables are its eyes, ears, and voice out in the world. But the plan has a single, massive point of failure: Siri. If Apple can't finally deliver an AI that feels smart and reliable, none of this hardware elegance will matter. The race isn't just to get cameras on your body. It's to give them something worthwhile to say.
Sources
- gizmochina.com
- 9to5mac.com
- techcrunch.com
- mashable.com
- techradar.com
- tomsguide.com
- macrumors.com