roklanhavok
macrumors regular
making the device see but not produce photos or videos for the user is brilliant. it means people won't be afraid of it like they are meta's glasses.
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Apple's AirTag-Sized AI Pin: Everything We Know
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MacsRgr8
macrumors G3
To me that’s the problem.
How do they know you’re not recoding, and how do you know they're not wearing some AI device that is recording you?
At least with smartphones you recognize that people are taking pictures or recording videos.
Don't really understand the need or use case for these devices. Excited to see what they come up with.
attila
macrumors 65816
But the watch has health tracking. You can’t track health accurately if it’s attached to clothes or dangling around your neck.
The airpods already do whatever this device is trying to do, sans the camera.
DocMultimedia
macrumors 68030
I don't think anyone outside Apple knows anything about, so articles like this should just say "summary of rumors we've already published several times." 🤑🙏🏼
JaydenA
macrumors regular
SanderEvers
macrumors 6502a
I'm still struggling with how you wear this device.
Talk of "pin" or "pendant" rather suggests it is expected to be attached to a tie, a jacket (lapel or breast pocket?), or hanging from the neck.
You have been wearing it at home, or in the office, and then decide to go outside. Where I live, it has felt as if it has been raining almost every day this year. First thing to do is put on a coat (or anorak, or whatever). Which would most likely obscure any light detecting capability - whether a camera or a "how light is it?" sensor. Mostly, I do that even if my car is feet from my front door.
Any microphone or speaker capability will likely also be made useless when covered by a coat.
A lot of the time, we wear our additional outdoor clothing when we go out, whether we are driving, shopping, having a cup of coffee. It is only when we reach a suitable location like our place of work or a friend's house, maybe a restaurant, cinema, theatre, travel by train or air, that we take the outer layer off.
Surely no-one is expecting us to relocate the device several times a day?
Talk of "pin" or "pendant" rather suggests it is expected to be attached to a tie, a jacket (lapel or breast pocket?), or hanging from the neck.
You have been wearing it at home, or in the office, and then decide to go outside. Where I live, it has felt as if it has been raining almost every day this year. First thing to do is put on a coat (or anorak, or whatever). Which would most likely obscure any light detecting capability - whether a camera or a "how light is it?" sensor. Mostly, I do that even if my car is feet from my front door.
Any microphone or speaker capability will likely also be made useless when covered by a coat.
A lot of the time, we wear our additional outdoor clothing when we go out, whether we are driving, shopping, having a cup of coffee. It is only when we reach a suitable location like our place of work or a friend's house, maybe a restaurant, cinema, theatre, travel by train or air, that we take the outer layer off.
Surely no-one is expecting us to relocate the device several times a day?
ThomasJL
macrumors 68020
Tim Cook stupidly thought that firing Scott Forstall would please other top employees like Jony Ive, but Ive quit anyway because of Cook spread Ive too thin (instead of just letting Ive focus on industrial design), and because how dull and uninnovative Cook's Apple had become. And now with this pin or pendant, it seems like Cook is trying to copy Ive's unfortunate collaboration with Scam Altman on creating an AI device.
boswald
macrumors 68030
I hate it when people do that. Doesn't matter the location either!
I agree. With most products, even if it’s not something of interest to me personally I can usually see how some other people might value whatever it does but with this I just don’t understand what it is going to do let alone whether I would want it.
boswald
macrumors 68030
Just imagine how well this will go over in airports...
Mr_Ed
macrumors 65816
This is a great example of good use of such a device. The problem is, when has Apple ever released a device whose intended primary audience is individuals with limitations or disabilities? Sure, they implement accessibility options and integrate with third-party assistive devices, which is great, but IIRC their products are general consumer devices.
So if there is any truth to this rumor, we are left with a device of questionable value and troubling privacy issues for the majority of consumers, even if it can be especially helpful to those with limitations.
This is a disingenuous comparison. Whatever goes in your eyes or ears is understood to be in your brain by anyone interacting with you, and consent for you to have it is implied by the interaction unless they say otherwise (“I’m not talking to you, GTFO!, etc.). Whatever goes into your device’s microphone or camera could be going somewhere those involved did not consent to. That is why in many places you are legally required to disclose the fact that you are recording a conversation up front.
WarmWinterHat
Suspended
My eyes and ears always watching and listening listening isn't being uploaded to the cloud, then analyzed, dissected, monetized, scrutinized and archived for essentially eternity. Additionally, it can only be accessed by me.
It's about as similar as apples and oysters.
andiwm2003
macrumors 601
Better to simply integrate this functionality into glasses. In the moment the AI glasses are way too clunky but that will change over time. Having a small bump on the frame behind your ear and then invisible projectors and tiny camera on the frame in the front. You get a screen with augmented reality and the camera is in a natural place where it should be. Audio goes directly in your ears through bone conduction.
Essentially everything that device would do is already better solved by AI glasses for people who want something like this. Most importantly you would get this without the need to carry another extra gadget around.
Essentially everything that device would do is already better solved by AI glasses for people who want something like this. Most importantly you would get this without the need to carry another extra gadget around.
_apple_apple_
macrumors regular
Keep in mind Apple designs for a wide range of lifestyles; but it comes across as maximal just cause they cram several lifestyles in each ad creating the impression that you're supposed to be/aim for all of them.
Assuming the pin can communicate with the phone being anywhere in the house:
Morning:
- leave phone on charger, take small/light pin with you instead, snap onto lapel/shirt/wear like necklace. I'm positive it'll handle dangling/swinging, able to build env map just fine.
- bathroom/shower; can hear you over running water; set timer, tell you schedule/weather/headlines/read out messages, etc.
- set pin down, switch clothes, put back on; don't have to worry about pockets for phone or holding it
- breakfast; ask it to set cooking timers, activate smart devices like coffee maker, dishwasher, etc
- send audio message to others in the house (walkie-talkie, not text message)
- identify device beeps; i.e. notice when laundry machine is done and tell you (if not matter-enabled)
- ask it to remote start your car + turn on features (AC/heated sets, music, etc) (Apple loves showing synergy with cars)
- out-the-door and forgot something; ask it where it is (findmy/air tag/pin says where it saw the item last/ask everyone in house)
Travelling:
* depends on whether the vehicle is public/private, connected or not. Pin would only be active if vehicle cannot provide these experiences.
- deduces where you're going, warns of construction/traffic, etc, proposes options.
- vehicle says it needs fuel, negotiate with pin what to do, can add detour to maps, etc.
- i imagine some cars have backseat cameras now; pin could detect/vocalize events
* why not via phone? might be in pocket/bag, where the camera/speaker cannot perform well.
* vehicle might try to do all of this itself via its own hardware/software.
Work:
- Pin switches to work context (Focus mode), might use different voice/style; personal notifications are handled differently/discretely to avoid broadcasting personal details in public.
- now might be time to re-charge it as you get into work mode. Pin probably comes with AirPods-like case or can reverse charge on phone. Apple seems to prefer charging hubs/cases over cables; subtle acknowledgment that the asthetic/experience of cables is subpar.
- Could still talk to the pin to handle/respond to personal/work stuff in lieu of picking up phone and using interface.
- Pin presumably can deduce conversation with others and not activate; and/or you can give it a unique name so you can use its name in ambiguous scenarios (but not always required like Siri).
At/After School:
- Probably not 'banned' like phones, since it has no real 'play' mode; a 'school' focus mode may be required, to silence non-emergency personal notifications.
- Standard record/explain/tutor functionalities. Might be a bit limited/poor fit as visuals can be very helpful.
Play:
- Planning for a trip; LLM compiles recc of things to bring, if pin knows your house contents can point out what you have and don't have. Could similarly notice unaccounted items, so you don't leave something behind.
- Usual LLM helpfulness, working out schedule/itinerary, etc. Pin just hears/vocalizes.
- Pin is certainly connected to smart home/other devices to provide verbal control (microphone close to you vs far away at the target device).
- Doubt it'll do health tracking, not touching the body enough. AirPods and 'Glasses' both touch the body; rumored to have/add sensors at contact surfaces.
Conclusion:
- the pin makes everything above hands/eyes-free. Biggest issue with phones right now is trying to juggle interacting with it while doing a task; constant switching. The phone is designed for hands-on use with eyeballs, pin would be opposite.
- the pin speaking/hearing/seeing is basically like a person following you around; the lack of a screen in the interaction sells the illusion better since you're presumably using your eyes for the task at hand so your focus is on that, not on a device interface. Hence the 'second brain' description AI companies love to use.
- AirPods with IR cameras is definitely better for audio (only you would hear the response) but i doubt it'll be able to 'see' as well as this pin could. Your verbal responses would be public in either case, but maybe you could respond more quietly with AirPods, depends on how directional the pin's mic can be. Of course it can route the audio/mic to AirPods, and that would presumably alleviate the pin's battery, extending life.
- Screens are centrally about visual media, yet representing logistics visually is tricky, so I think pure information communication (language) fits logistics-centric use cases better; hence the pin not really needing a screen for its use cases. This sort of matches what I remember about the interactions with the computer/badge in Stark Trek; non-visual information/actions. You can of course tell it to bring something up on a nearby screen, like that rumored 'HomePad'.
Assuming the pin can communicate with the phone being anywhere in the house:
Morning:
- leave phone on charger, take small/light pin with you instead, snap onto lapel/shirt/wear like necklace. I'm positive it'll handle dangling/swinging, able to build env map just fine.
- bathroom/shower; can hear you over running water; set timer, tell you schedule/weather/headlines/read out messages, etc.
- set pin down, switch clothes, put back on; don't have to worry about pockets for phone or holding it
- breakfast; ask it to set cooking timers, activate smart devices like coffee maker, dishwasher, etc
- send audio message to others in the house (walkie-talkie, not text message)
- identify device beeps; i.e. notice when laundry machine is done and tell you (if not matter-enabled)
- ask it to remote start your car + turn on features (AC/heated sets, music, etc) (Apple loves showing synergy with cars)
- out-the-door and forgot something; ask it where it is (findmy/air tag/pin says where it saw the item last/ask everyone in house)
Travelling:
* depends on whether the vehicle is public/private, connected or not. Pin would only be active if vehicle cannot provide these experiences.
- deduces where you're going, warns of construction/traffic, etc, proposes options.
- vehicle says it needs fuel, negotiate with pin what to do, can add detour to maps, etc.
- i imagine some cars have backseat cameras now; pin could detect/vocalize events
* why not via phone? might be in pocket/bag, where the camera/speaker cannot perform well.
* vehicle might try to do all of this itself via its own hardware/software.
Work:
- Pin switches to work context (Focus mode), might use different voice/style; personal notifications are handled differently/discretely to avoid broadcasting personal details in public.
- now might be time to re-charge it as you get into work mode. Pin probably comes with AirPods-like case or can reverse charge on phone. Apple seems to prefer charging hubs/cases over cables; subtle acknowledgment that the asthetic/experience of cables is subpar.
- Could still talk to the pin to handle/respond to personal/work stuff in lieu of picking up phone and using interface.
- Pin presumably can deduce conversation with others and not activate; and/or you can give it a unique name so you can use its name in ambiguous scenarios (but not always required like Siri).
At/After School:
- Probably not 'banned' like phones, since it has no real 'play' mode; a 'school' focus mode may be required, to silence non-emergency personal notifications.
- Standard record/explain/tutor functionalities. Might be a bit limited/poor fit as visuals can be very helpful.
Play:
- Planning for a trip; LLM compiles recc of things to bring, if pin knows your house contents can point out what you have and don't have. Could similarly notice unaccounted items, so you don't leave something behind.
- Usual LLM helpfulness, working out schedule/itinerary, etc. Pin just hears/vocalizes.
- Pin is certainly connected to smart home/other devices to provide verbal control (microphone close to you vs far away at the target device).
- Doubt it'll do health tracking, not touching the body enough. AirPods and 'Glasses' both touch the body; rumored to have/add sensors at contact surfaces.
Conclusion:
- the pin makes everything above hands/eyes-free. Biggest issue with phones right now is trying to juggle interacting with it while doing a task; constant switching. The phone is designed for hands-on use with eyeballs, pin would be opposite.
- the pin speaking/hearing/seeing is basically like a person following you around; the lack of a screen in the interaction sells the illusion better since you're presumably using your eyes for the task at hand so your focus is on that, not on a device interface. Hence the 'second brain' description AI companies love to use.
- AirPods with IR cameras is definitely better for audio (only you would hear the response) but i doubt it'll be able to 'see' as well as this pin could. Your verbal responses would be public in either case, but maybe you could respond more quietly with AirPods, depends on how directional the pin's mic can be. Of course it can route the audio/mic to AirPods, and that would presumably alleviate the pin's battery, extending life.
- Screens are centrally about visual media, yet representing logistics visually is tricky, so I think pure information communication (language) fits logistics-centric use cases better; hence the pin not really needing a screen for its use cases. This sort of matches what I remember about the interactions with the computer/badge in Stark Trek; non-visual information/actions. You can of course tell it to bring something up on a nearby screen, like that rumored 'HomePad'.
PBG4 Dude
macrumors 603
Happy_John
Suspended
counter argument - watch or HomePod. And will the pin have a loud enough speaker to confirm?
counter-argument: phone in cabstand / CarPlay
counter-argument: when working, you are going to have a larger, more powerful device with you anyway, irrespective of whether you work at a desk on on-site. In the case of, say, teachers and medical workers ( doctor's / nurses ), having such a device would mean having to constantly have to gain consent from patient, students, ;parents of student etc, because it is also recording them, not just yourself.
AirTag for tracking - devices recording kids should be a no-no generally
Play?? this seems to be a Mad euphemism/ all of the above category. Nothing in this category is not mentioned in your there catagories
conclusion - it's a redundant device - it does nothing that other devices cannot do, it creates as much friction as it aids convenience, you don't adress privacy and consent issues of the people around the user, and it will need other devices ( i.e. a phone) to function anyway, as it's not stand alone.
And I think you "school" category is more than a bit suspect. We would need very strong guarantees before allowing an always on recording device that is sending data to an LLM become a standard item a child should carry.
I imagine the schools themselves would not allow such a device in the classroom.
TLDR: by all accounts, the Neo is selling we’ll, and it’s selling we’ll because it’s obvious what it’s for: it’s a no-nonsense “just a MacBook” at a good price point.
The Vision Peo did not sell that well, not only because if it’s orice - it is an impressive bit if technology, but it didn’t establish what it is for or make a case of why you should choose it over the other options available.
This pin will be cheaper than a Vision Pro, but non of the use-cases you’ve put forward are compelling enough to buy it and add to devices a person already has that can do the same thing.
It sounds very much something that will be bought but will soon be put on a shelf and forgotten about.
Last edited:
Thank you! It'a a breath of fresh air (and rare) seeing someone here exercise their imagination thinking about use possibilities for future Apple devices.
JTK Awesome
macrumors 6502
I guess we don’t need phones and tablets any more? The combination of AVP, APP, cellular aWatch, and this pin covers everything.
Assuming, of course, this isn’t another fiasco like Humane.
www.cnet.com
Assuming, of course, this isn’t another fiasco like Humane.
Humane's AI Pin Failed Because It Ignored What Was Already in Our Pockets
Commentary: It's a lesson other devices could learn from.
www.cnet.com
