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Apple continues to work on a "pendant with cameras" for release as early as next year, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Second-Generation-AirTag-Feature-Purple.jpg

In a report today, Gurman said development of the all-new wearable accessory trails AirPods with cameras, which have apparently reached an advanced testing stage.

Apple also continues to work on smart glasses, according to his report.

Given the report was focused on the AirPods with cameras, no further details were provided about the pendant or the smart glasses. However, he has shared many details about the two products in his previous reporting, as recapped below.

Gurman previously described the pendant as an "AirTag-sized" accessory that would be reminiscent of the failed Humane AI Pin. However, it would be an iPhone accessory rather than a standalone product.

humane-ai-pin-1.jpg
Humane AI Pin

The pendant would feature an "always-on" camera and a microphone for Siri voice commands, but it would lack a display and laser projector, according to the report. The pendant is said to have its own chip, but performance is limited, so the device will apparently rely heavily on a paired iPhone for processing.

Apple is said to be debating whether to add a speaker to the accessory.

The pendant would attach to a person's clothing with a clip, or you could insert a cord or chain into a hole in the device and wear it as a necklace.

In January, The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu were first to report about Apple's so-called AI pin or pendant project, which remains in an early stage of development inside the company. According to both reports, the device could launch as early as 2027, but there is still a chance the project could be canceled.

The pendant would likely work with some of iOS 27's revamped Siri features.

As for the smart glasses, he said Apple plans to unveil them in late 2026 or early 2027, but that they will not be released until next year either way.

Like the Meta Ray-Bans, Gurman said Apple's glasses will have built-in cameras that let users capture photos and videos. He also expects the glasses to have speakers and microphones for music, phone calls, and notifications announced by Siri.

Meta-Ray-Ban.jpg

Apple is apparently focused on tight iPhone integration and premium build quality.

He did not provide too many details about the iPhone integration, but he does expect the cameras on the glasses to be able to feed data to Siri and Apple Intelligence, and this should help to improve features such as turn-by-turn walking directions.

As for build quality, he said Apple is designing its own plastic frames, with the company allegedly testing at least four potential designs:
  • A larger rectangular frame, similar to Ray-Ban's Wayfarers
  • A slimmer rectangular design, similar to the glasses worn by Apple CEO Tim Cook
  • Larger oval or circular frames
  • Smaller oval or circular frames
Apple is exploring a range of color options, including black, ocean blue, and light brown, and the glasses may have vertically-oriented oval camera lenses, he said.

Meta uses glasses frames from Ray-Ban, the popular brand owned by Italian company EssilorLuxottica, while Google and Samsung are reportedly working on smart glasses in partnership with the American eyewear company Warby Parker.

Unlike the latest generation of Meta Ray-Bans, Gurman does not expect Apple's first smart glasses to be equipped with an in-lens augmented reality display.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Working on All-New AirTag-Sized Wearable With iPhone Integration
 
I don't doubt they are testing something like this, considering the popularity of those credit card sized meeting recorders.

With a camera and a microphone but no form of output, it sounds like it's meant to just be a constant data feed to an AI assistant that theoretically may exist one day.

If its only output is to the phone, well that's not very useful because now I'm already holding the phone so what's the point?

So, as creepy as the Meta Ray-Bans and less useful.

But with the rapid trend toward constant surveillance, who knows.
 
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I think Apple is obligated to do this from a business and industry perspective, even shareholder obligation (keeping up with the Meta’s).

But the public will reject this nonsense. Apple users will reject this non-sense.

Tech is a two-edged sword and unfortunately we’re heading for an Orwellian hellscape. Not if, but when.

We simply can’t have nice things.
 
I think Apple is obligated to do this from a business and industry perspective, even shareholder obligation (keeping up with the Meta’s).

But the public will reject this nonsense. Apple users will reject this non-sense.

Tech is a two-edged sword and unfortunately we’re heading for an Orwellian hellscape. Not if, but when.

We simply can’t have nice things.
Apple doesn’t build products for those reasons. They build things they want to use themselves. This is why they didn’t do netbooks or touchscreen Macs.
 
Yawn - crap product looking for (at best) a dodgy use case.

Wish Apple would stop with this sh*t and make stuff that people actually want and will use.

They aren’t skating to where the puck is going, there is no puck at all.
 
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