Apple Has 'Explored' a Smart Ring, Glasses, and AirPods With Cameras

[MacRumors]

Apple has considered developing several new wearable devices over the years, including a smart ring for health and fitness, smart glasses, and upgraded AirPods with built-in cameras and more sensors, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Ring​

Below, we recap what Gurman shared about these devices in his Power On newsletter today.

Smart Ring

A few years ago, Apple's industrial design team presented the idea of a "smart ring" focused on health and fitness features to executives on the company's health team, according to Gurman. However, he said Apple is not actively developing the finger-worn device at this time, so it is unclear if it will ever be released.

Gurman said the ring could be a lower-cost alternative to the Apple Watch that could sync health and fitness data with a paired iPhone. It would compete with products like the Oura Ring and Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Ring.

Smart Glasses

It has long been rumored that Apple eventually hopes to release advanced AR glasses based on its Vision Pro headset. In the meantime, Gurman said the company has considered developing a "less ambitious" pair of smart glasses that would compete with the likes of Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses and Amazon's Echo Frames.

Apple has discussed creating glasses that would serve as an "AirPods replacement," with built-in speakers, cameras, health sensors, and AI capabilities, according to Gurman. The glasses are in a "technology investigation" stage within Apple's hardware engineering division, he said, so it sounds like a release is still far off.

AirPods With Cameras

Apple engineers last year started exploring how to fit low-resolution camera sensors into AirPods, according to Gurman. If ever released, he believes these AirPods could offer AI features that "assist people in their daily routines."

Article Link: Apple Has 'Explored' a Smart Ring, Glasses, and AirPods With Cameras

 

[rorschach]

AirPods With Cameras

Nah, what we really need is EarSight

 

[Kylo83]

They really have no idea about the future do they

 

[dannyyankou]

I'll probably get an Oura ring since it's HSA covered now

Only thing that worries me is battery degradation. Sure it's good right out of the box, but that's a tiny battery.

 

[Supercyborgninja]

Sounds like a ton of exploratory stuff all companies go through.

Would love a smart ring and glasses. AirPods with cameras sounds like it’s very early and very just theoretical.

 

[Account25476]

Notification synchronization across devices is still unavailable in the mail app.
Maybe they could invest a couple of hours trying to figure out how to fix it before releasing so complex product like a smart ring.

 

[Marco Klobas]

A slightly wider ring featuring a wrapped display in order to give notifications and a minimal interaction beyond the usual health/fitness use would be nice, IMO.

Assuming it would be possible to place components, sensors and a proper lasting battery inside it, of course.

I wonder if the Apple Watch will develop in the future toward a smart bracelet form.

 

[madebybela]

They really have no idea about the future do they

no one wants to face the reality that we've already hit peak everything. but shareholders want to see infinite growth still so everyone's trying to sell literal junk under the guise of "innovation"

 

[MrRom92]

I would probably be in for an Apple Ring. Just from the jewelry aspect of it. I personally don’t even really care if it turns on or actually does anything.

 

[jz0309]

I’m sure there’s a whole lot more technology stuff that Apple is looking at…

AirPods with camera? To look into your ears for what exactly?

And glasses, sure but remember how the Google glasses were perceived?

 

[jz0309]

They really have no idea about the future do they

What does the future hold from your POV?

 

[DomDomonom]

I’d pick up meta glasses style Apple glasses in a second. Device switching and general ecosystem hooks like notification announcements and battery info, better camera quality (I imagine Apple would be able to pull something off better with their experience and software), being able to use an Apple Watch as a viewfinder (reviewers of the meta glasses often mentioned framing was difficult) and probable Siri improvements with iOS 18 would make the experience of the current hardware available so much better. I hope they don’t wait until heads-up displays are mature enough as that’s probably years away, but the hardware seems mature for a great meta type glasses experience.

It would also probably help normalise smart glasses well before displays are feasible

 

[a m u n]

Apple Ring Pro Max:

 

[Abobrek]

How is it that XReal produces such compelling and “future forward” products (True AR glasses with displays, hand tracking, 6DoF, etc.) yet Apple is “exploring” glasses with no AR, and ONLY have cameras and speakers? Based on this I believe Apple has peaked and genuinely has no sense of direction or any unique/game changing products in the pipeline. AirPods with cameras?? (How would it work with certain hairstyles and lengths?) A Home Pod with a screen?? A smart ring?? Where are the REVOLUTIONARY products?

 

[Abobrek]

I’d pick up meta glasses style Apple glasses in a second. Device switching and general ecosystem hooks like notification announcements and battery info, better camera quality (I imagine Apple would be able to pull something off better with their experience and software), being able to use an Apple Watch as a viewfinder (reviewers of the meta glasses often mentioned framing was difficult) and probable Siri improvements with iOS 18 would make the experience of the current hardware available so much better. I hope they don’t wait until heads-up displays are mature enough as that’s probably years away, but the hardware seems mature for a great meta type glasses experience.

It would also probably help normalise smart glasses well before displays are feasible

XREAL Air 2 Pro

Air 2 Pro. The ultimate wearable display experience Ships in 3 working days Explore >> Connectivity: USB-C DisplayPort Items Included: XREAL Air 2 Pro Prescription Lens Frame (Details available on XREAL's official website or through our partner, JUN GINZA) Detachable USB Type-C Cable Light...

us.shop.xreal.com

 

[DomDomonom]

I’m sure there’s a whole lot more technology stuff that Apple is looking at…

AirPods with camera? To look into your ears for what exactly?

And glasses, sure but remember how the Google glasses were perceived?

I reckon google glasses were far ahead of their time, the cameras out everywhere is more normalised now than it was a decade ago. There have been other products since and now that people aren’t making a big stink about. I also think the more normal form that current smart glasses come in plus the more prominent recording lights you can’t block, are far less off putting and noticeable than that Star Trek-esque product. Things Apple puts on the market, there’s always initial people making fun of it, then it’s normal by the following year.

 

[AlexESP]

no one wants to face the reality that we've already hit peak everything. but shareholders want to see infinite growth still so everyone's trying to sell literal junk under the guise of "innovation"

What makes you think that we’ve hit “peak everything”, against the experience of thousands of years of continuous (and accelerated) evolution?

 

[DomDomonom]

XREAL Air 2 Pro

Air 2 Pro. The ultimate wearable display experience Ships in 3 working days Explore >> Connectivity: USB-C DisplayPort Items Included: XREAL Air 2 Pro Prescription Lens Frame (Details available on XREAL's official website or through our partner, JUN GINZA) Detachable USB Type-C Cable Light...

us.shop.xreal.com

Aye, that’s a great product, but it’s not something you can wear the whole day and go about your life with, it’s a different use case. The closest thing in my mind is what vuse and tcl are doing with waveguide displays, but the FOV, resolution and colours not to mention extra bulk I imagine Apple won’t consider mature enough. even if I think they’re enough for basic information as a heads up display for notifications and controls, I reckon they’ll wait till they’re good enough for media consumption and AR.

 

[AlexESP]

Apple has probably explored a ring, a 40” iPad and an Apple Watch with macOS - then it’s Gurman’s job to mix some real information with his own opinion and create a story.

 

[sdf]

They really have no idea about the future do they

It takes some experimentation to invent it, yes.

 

[scrapesleon]

what's the use case of headphones with camera seems useless

 

[LoveToMacRumors]

Probably coming in 2050

 

[VisceralRealist]

I don't know, I can see the use of some of these, but it's also like, why are we replacing our human senses with devices covered in cameras?

 

[madebybela]

What makes you think that we’ve hit “peak everything”, against the experience of thousands of years of continuous (and accelerated) evolution?

because we've gotten to the point where we have to make up solutions to problems that don't exist/aren't already solved by and done better by what is already made

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Whining, whining, whining.
These are all in the exploratory stage, that does not mean any of them will come to market.

They really have no idea about the future do they

They also didn’t know about the future in January 2001.
Then, the very next month, they were introduced to a small Toshiba harddrive, and out of that came the iPod just a short eight months later.

Sometimes it takes years to find the next big thing, sometimes it falls right into their lap.