With the release of macOS beta, Apple unexpectedly released a video showing off its upcoming fully wireless headphones with built-in cameras. Code in an early version of macOS Tahoe 26.7 reportedly helps reveal some additional information about the device enjet.
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Each earbud is equipped with its own camera, and the images generated are synchronized and processed as a whole by an application with artificial intelligence Visual Intelligence. These cameras can take color photos with resolutions up to 1 million pixels. AirPods use accelerometers to account for head movement; there’s also a software algorithm that filters out images that are compromised by sudden movements or blocked views. Some data processing tasks are performed directly in the headset itself – this is indicated by the reference to “peripheral output” (peripheral reasoning).
Apple AirPods with cameras do not capture video and only support occasional photos, but this is enough for the Visual Intelligence system to work. There are active and passive operating modes – in active mode, the image quality is higher. Each earphone is equipped with a recording indicator light, which is very important to protect the privacy of those around you. But unlike Meta smart glasses✴ The camera on AirPods is not designed for personal photography, but is designed to meet the needs of Apple Visual Intelligence. The new feature is part of an update to Siri AI – the multi-modal AI assistant that can analyze images from the headphones and use them to perform certain actions.
The demo video shows the only known scenario of using Apple AirPods with a camera – a man picks up a book and asks Siri to remember the title. The release date of the device is still unknown: according to Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman, it will only happen in 2027.
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