Apple Still Planning AirPods With Tiny Cameras

Apple continues to explore the idea of adding tiny cameras to future AirPods, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

airpods pro purple
Gurman briefly reiterated this possibility in his report this week about Apple executive Mike Rockwell becoming the new head of Siri development:

Rockwell's experience with hardware also could help the company more deeply embed AI into its future devices. Already, the company is exploring the idea of AirPods with outward-facing cameras that could feed data to AI.

The cameras would technically be infrared sensors.

In a June 2024 blog post, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple planned to mass produce new AirPods with infrared cameras by 2026. He said the infrared camera component would be similar to the iPhone's Face ID receiver.

Kuo said the new AirPods with infrared cameras would provide an enhanced spatial audio experience with Apple's Vision Pro headset.

"For example, when a user is watching a video with Vision Pro and wearing this new AirPods, if users turn their heads to look in a specific direction, the sound source in that direction can be emphasized to enhance the spatial audio/computing experience," wrote Kuo.

The infrared cameras could potentially enable "in-air gesture control" as well, allowing for device interaction with hand movements.

If the alleged 2026 mass production timeframe remains on schedule, the new AirPods with infrared cameras could launch in 2026 or 2027.

Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

iPhone 17 Pro Max Teardown Reveals Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 Modem for 5G

Friday September 19, 2025 7:39 am PDT by
While the iPhone Air is equipped with Apple's custom C1X modem for cellular connectivity, all of the iPhone 17 models are outfitted with Qualcomm modems still. A teardown video shared on Chinese platform Bilibili today (via Reddit) appears to confirm the iPhone 17 Pro Max is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem in particular. The same modem is likely used in the iPhone 17 and iPhone ...
iphone 17 pro max techwoven

Here Are The Best Cases You Can Buy for Your New iPhone 17 and iPhone Air

Friday September 19, 2025 6:46 am PDT by
Apple's new iPhones launch today, and there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to protecting your new device from drops and scratches. In this article, we're taking a look at some of the best options for iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Air cases, as well as a few charging accessories. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design Draws Criticism From Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:56 pm PDT by
It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected. Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update. Complaints There are a long...
iphone 17 pro inside

iPhone 17 Teardowns Confirm SIM and eSIM-Only Battery Capacities

Friday September 19, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
YouTube channel REWA Technology today shared an iPhone 17 Pro teardown video, offering a closer look inside the model with a SIM card tray. We are still waiting for repair website iFixit to share a more comprehensive teardown of the latest iPhone models, but this video provides a good look in the meantime. The device features various internal design changes, including larger rear camera...

Top Rated Comments

Biro Avatar
26 weeks ago
Just fix your existing software bugs, Apple. Never mind crap features like this. Most of us are still not going to buy the Vision Pro.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scrapesleon Avatar
26 weeks ago
wouldn't that require more battery life in an already small form factor device
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thomas Harte Avatar
26 weeks ago

"For example, when a user is watching a video with Vision Pro...
And what happens if a tree falls in a forest?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
26 weeks ago
I have hair that covers my ears and I'm not the only one. How exactly would outward facing cameras (IR sensors) work?

..and I'm never going to own a Vision Pro.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cheesehead Dave Avatar
26 weeks ago
Coming in 2026: "EU Parliament rules that Apple must allow 3rd party apps access to AirPod cameras"
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FasterQuieter Avatar
26 weeks ago
I hope they don't point inwards. It'd be more waxscape than soundscape for me.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)