Apple's fourth-generation AirPods Pro could well watch the world for you, with the upcoming earbuds widely tipped to have built-in cameras.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that the camera-equipped AirPods Pro have already reached "advanced" testing, suggesting that the design is virtually locked in and mass production is imminent. Each earbud is expected to feature a tiny built-in infrared camera on a slightly longer stem, with the visual information received likely to be fed straight into a more enhanced version of Siri. According to the report, a small LED will glow when the AirPods are sending visual data – so at least your friends will know when your earbuds are paying attention.
As far as we know, the cameras can't shoot photos or video. They exist purely so you can glance at something, ask Siri what it is, and get an answer, similar to pointing your iPhone's Visual Intelligence mode at a menu, a plant, a piece of furniture, or whatever else. Apple also wants the cameras to power smarter walking directions and contextual reminders based on what you're seeing, so they may also integrate with Apple Maps.
The new AirPods will rely on the long-delayed smarter Siri, which is now slated for iOS 27, expected in September. It's not yet clear how the new AirPods will fit into Apple's lineup, but rumors suggest Apple does not intend to brand them as the "AirPods Pro 4." Instead, they could be referred to as the AirPods Ultra, or perhaps AirPods Pro 3 With Cameras. We should know for sure come the fall.
