Apple is working on versions of the AirPods and Apple Watch that incorporate a camera, and the devices could be ready to launch sometime around 2027, reports Bloomberg.
Apple has developed a chip codenamed "Nevis" that will be used for its camera-equipped Apple Watch, while a chip codenamed "Glennie" will be incorporated into the AirPods. Apple is aiming to have the chips ready "by around 2027," and if the chips are available early enough in the year, we could see a launch that same year.
Last year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple wants to incorporate infrared cameras into the AirPods to provide an enhanced spatial audio experience with the Vision Pro and future devices, plus cameras could also potentially support in-air gesture control, identifying hand movements. Gurman has suggested that Apple is considering cameras that would "feed data to AI."
As for the Apple Watch, a future model could incorporate a camera in the screen area, while an upcoming version of the Apple Watch Ultra could have a camera near the Digital Crown. The cameras would enable Visual Intelligence features to allow users to get information about their surroundings and more tailored directions.
The cameras destined for the Apple Watch and AirPods won't likely be used for things like capturing photos or FaceTime, but would instead provide visual data for on-device AI features.
