Apple analyst claims we could see new wearables including AirPods with cameras

In his latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman says Apple is looking into different shapes and sizes for future wearable gadgets. This includes smart glasses that are like the Amazon Echo Frames or Meta Ray-Bans, which have some smart audio and AI features.

These could come out much sooner than the full augmented reality glasses that could replace the Vision Pro. Apple is also thinking about adding cameras to the AirPods earbuds, which might mean they won’t need to make a separate smart glasses product at all.

Apple is also thinking about making a smart ring, which would be a small device you wear on your finger. It could do health sensing stuff for people who don’t want to wear a big Apple Watch. The glasses and ring are still in the early stages of discussion, but it seems like the AirPods with cameras idea is a bit more solid.

Gurman says the project, codenamed B798, started last year. They’re trying to figure out how to put low-res camera sensors into AirPods earbuds.

The goal of both the smart glasses and the camera AirPods is to give users AI and health features without making it a big deal. The cameras in the glasses or earbuds can take pictures of what’s going on around you and help you out in your daily life with a voice-and-image AI system.

The AI could then answer questions about stuff you’re looking at, for example. A basic version of this was added to the Meta Ray-Ban glasses a few months ago.

Earbuds are small and not very noticeable, and Apple has already got people used to the idea of truly wireless earbuds. Glasses would be riskier, but they could have better cameras and last longer on a single charge.

Don’t hold your breath for anything to come out soon. These are all just early ideas Apple is working on, but they do give us a peek into what the Wearables team might be thinking about for the future.