Apple is developing many unusual devices.

Apple is reportedly actively developing a range of AI-integrated products such as smart glasses, pendants, and AirPods with built-in cameras.

A pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses from Meta. Photo: Bloomberg .

According to Bloomberg , Apple is accelerating the development of three new wearable devices. This move aims to enter the AI-integrated hardware market, a field currently being pursued by OpenAI and Meta.

Apple is actively developing devices including smart glasses, pendants, and AI-powered AirPods. All three devices are built around the Siri assistant, which relies on its surroundings to function.

"AirPods and pendants are envisioned as simpler products, equipped with low-resolution cameras to support AI functionality, without focusing on photography or video recording. Meanwhile, the eyewear will be more premium and feature-rich," analyst Mark Gurman said.

Apple's difference

Based on rumors, CEO Tim Cook shared with employees that Apple will accelerate the development of AI devices, researching a product portfolio that integrates this technology.

" The world is changing rapidly," Bloomberg quoted Cook as saying during a meeting with Apple employees in early February.

Despite strong iPhone sales, Apple is falling behind its rivals in the AI ​​race. In the long term, this technology is expected to change how people use their phones.

Unlike Apple, Meta has experience developing smart AI glasses, while OpenAI is also developing AI products with the help of Jony Ive, Apple's former Chief Design Officer.

Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2 AI smart glasses. Photo: Bloomberg .

With its smart glasses, Apple positions this as a premium product, competing with Meta's line of glasses. The device is expected to integrate a high-resolution camera, supporting both photo and video recording.

According to Gurman, the product is being developed internally under the codename N50. Apple has produced several prototypes for its hardware engineering team to test. The company aims to produce the glasses as early as December, launching them in 2027.

Similar to most of Meta's current products, Apple's smart glasses will not have a screen. Users are expected to interact with the device via the external speaker, microphone, and camera.

Some of the features on the glasses include making calls, accessing Siri, activating actions based on the surrounding environment, listening to music, and taking photos. Apple wants to differentiate the product with two main factors: build quality and camera technology.

Key features

According to some employees, Apple initially developed the glasses by integrating components and cameras into frames purchased from various well-known brands.

Apple even considered partnering with manufacturers to produce eyeglass frames, similar to how Meta partnered with EssilorLuxottica, or Google partnered with Warby Parker Inc. However, recently, the company decided to develop its own frames in various sizes and colors.

According to Bloomberg , early prototypes of the glasses were connected to the iPhone and had a removable battery, but newer versions have integrated the components into the frame. Using premium materials, Apple is considering selling the glasses in a variety of styles.

The device is expected to integrate two cameras: one high-resolution lens for taking photos and videos, and the other dedicated to computer vision technology. Similar to Vision Pro, this sensor helps the product recognize the surrounding environmental context for certain tasks.

The Apple Vision Pro launch event. Photo: Shutterstock .

"The goal of the glasses is to act as an everyday AI companion, capable of understanding what the user is looking at and doing in real time."

"The wearer can look at the object and ask what it is, while also receiving assistance with daily tasks, such as asking about the ingredients in a meal," Gurman described.

Apple has also developed several advanced features for the glasses, such as reading text and converting it into digital data, creating contextual reminders, etc. Siri can provide real-time and location-based navigation, such as guiding users past buildings or noting traffic on the road before turning.

New pendant and AirPods

For those who don't wear glasses or don't need to wear smart devices in front of their eyes, Apple is considering serving this market with two other AI wearable devices: a pendant and AirPods with integrated cameras.

According to Gurman, Apple's industrial design team came up with the pendant idea during the development of their eyeglasses. The device is reminiscent of the Humane AI Pin, a failed product. However, for Apple, this is not a standalone product but will work in conjunction with the iPhone.

Essentially, the camera and microphone on the pendant will always be active, sending data to the iPhone and interacting with Siri. The device will have no screen or display system; its processing power will rely heavily on the iPhone.

Currently, Apple is still considering integrating a speaker into the pendant. If equipped with a speaker, users could interact directly with the product, or even make calls, without needing an iPhone or AirPods.

Similar to AirTag, the pendant can be clipped onto clothing or attached to a chain to be worn around the neck. The product could launch as early as next year.

Humane AI Pin. Photo: Bloomberg .

As for AirPods with integrated cameras, the product has been in development for some time. Apple has also recently been continuously adding AI features to AirPods, such as live translation.

In the future, Apple aims to develop smart glasses with augmented reality (AR) displays, expanding their ability to display and track information.

Because they are still in development, Gurman noted that the products could still be canceled. Apple has stopped developing an Apple Watch with an integrated camera. Internal testing showed that the idea was impractical because the camera would get in the way of the sleeve and the shooting angle would not be useful.

Last year, Apple canceled the development of a cheaper version of Vision Pro. Initially, the product was seen as a stepping stone towards AR glasses, but Apple decided to focus on traditional smart glasses instead.

In addition to wearable devices, Apple is developing a variety of AI devices for the home, such as smart displays with integrated robotic arms, a new version of the HomePod speaker, and sensors for home security and automation.

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-phat-trien-nhieu-thiet-la-post1629243.html