This news comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. According to him, Apple is aiming to begin mass production of AirPods with the new camera module in 2026. Bloomberg reported something similar in February, further reinforcing the belief that Apple is indeed making such a move.
According to Kuo, these new AirPods will have an infrared camera similar to the Face ID module on iPhones and iPads. Apple's goal is reportedly to enhance the AirPods' ability to work seamlessly with Vision Pro and other future Apple Vision kits.
Ming-Chi Kuo wrote: " For example, when a user watches a video using Vision Pro and wearing the new AirPods, if they turn their head to look in a particular direction, the sound source in that direction can be amplified to enhance the simulated spatial experience ."
Additionally, the infrared camera on AirPods can detect changes in the ambient light. In other words, users can control their AirPods with hand gestures, without touching them.
It is highly likely that Foxconn will be the supplier of the infrared cameras used in AirPods. If this is true, Foxconn is expected to produce approximately 10 million pairs of AirPods per year.
In February, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg reported that AirPods with cameras were just one of the new wearable device ideas Apple was working on. Other potential tech products included smart glasses, smart rings, and a next-generation Apple Watch.
According to 9to5Mac, the combination with the Vision product line is just a small part of the many potentials that AirPods with cameras can exploit. With AI and computer vision technology, the next-generation AirPods can read a variety of user inputs such as voice, gestures, and images.
In the comments section on 9to5Mac, some netizens suggested that the infrared camera could also be a step forward for Apple in assisting visually impaired people in their daily lives by increasing spatial awareness, warning of dangers, and alerting to collisions, etc.
Furthermore, the similarity between the infrared camera module used and the FaceID module provides an important clue: this module could recognize objects and faces when combined with software, improving interaction for the visually impaired or other AR functions for regular users. Of course, these features will still depend on the power of the software, and how Apple will integrate all of this into such a small earphone remains an unanswered question.
Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/airpods-se-co-camera.html
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