Apple is pushing ahead with AI: Smart glasses, pendant, and AirPods with cameras are on the way.

Apple is massively restructuring its hardware strategy and is fully committed to wearable artificial intelligence. According to a Message by Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News The Cupertino-based company is currently developing three new wearable categories to keep pace with Meta and OpenAI. The focus is on smart glasses without a display, a wearable camera pendant, and AirPods that can perceive their surroundings through integrated cameras.

Smart glasses: Apple design meets visual intelligence

The glasses project, codenamed "N50," is intended to be Apple's answer to Meta's successful Ray-Ban models. Internally, the company has shifted its focus from a complex AR headset to everyday glasses that primarily rely on audio and sensors. A full-fledged augmented reality display is not planned for the first generation; instead, the device is designed to function as a smart companion that understands the user's surroundings.

The glasses' hardware relies on a dual-camera system: one sensor is responsible for high-resolution photos and videos, while a second lens is dedicated solely to computer vision and depth measurement. This will allow Siri to recognize landmarks, directly import text from posters into the calendar, or provide context-based tips while shopping. Apple plans to manufacture the frames in-house in various sizes and colors, using high-quality materials like acrylic for a premium feel.

The AI ​​counterpart and the next generation of AirPods

In addition to the glasses, Apple is working on a completely new form factor, internally referred to as the "Pendant." This small pendant, roughly the size of an AirTag, can be clipped to clothing or worn as a necklace. It functions as an external sensor for the iPhone and features microphones and a camera, but has no display or projection system of its own. The paired smartphone handles almost all of the processing.

The AirPods are also poised for a significant upgrade. According to Gurman, Apple plans to release models with integrated cameras in the near future. These sensors are specifically optimized for low-light conditions and are not intended for photography, but rather provide AI with the necessary data for features such as real-time translation and spatial audio feedback.

Software hurdles and release timeframe

The centerpiece of all new devices will be a completely revamped version of Siri, expected to launch with iOS 27. According to Bloomberg, this will offer a chatbot-like interface and be based on speech models that Apple has developed in part in cooperation with Google. The tight integration with the iPhone ecosystem remains its greatest strength, but also its biggest limitation, as the wearables will be virtually unusable without a smartphone.

The launch timeline remains ambitious: While the first AirPods with camera features could appear as early as the end of 2024 or 2025, a launch in 2026 is being discussed for their AI-powered counterpart. The N50 smart glasses could go into production at the end of 2026 and be available worldwide in 2027. Apple must primarily address the privacy concerns associated with permanently active cameras in public spaces – an area in which the company has traditionally been very cautious.