At least if your ear skin gets inflamed, maybe the AirPods will stay in...
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Apple's Camera-Equipped AirPods: What to Expect
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BeatsByTim
macrumors 6502
Techwatcher
macrumors 65816
AirPods Pro 3 is the single best accessory that Apple has ever made. And now they're going to ruin it by releasing these stupid ass AirPods with cameras. Literally no one needs cameras in earbuds.
JulianStaples
macrumors regular
Exciting times. One step closer to owning my very own pair of Ear-noculars. 😎
Sowelu
macrumors 6502a
We're going to need some kind of public camera regulation when it comes to personal devices at some point. Smartphones are enough, we don't need cameras embedded in glasses, earbuds and so on. We cannot trust a social media and 'content creator' obsessed society with this kind of spy technology that is only going to advance.
All camera embedded devices should require a bright LED whenever the camera is on and make it so the camera does not work via sensors if the LED is covered. I am glad that Apple is adding this LED to these AirPods, but I hope they don't allow the user to cover or prevent the LED from coming on.
Privacy is a human right and should not be compromised or decided by fellow civilians who find the need to place wearable cameras on themselves, and limiting regulation to just how the data can be used and shared will not be enough or effective. As technology enters its Wild West era, it's becoming more concerning than fun or exciting as it used to be.
All camera embedded devices should require a bright LED whenever the camera is on and make it so the camera does not work via sensors if the LED is covered. I am glad that Apple is adding this LED to these AirPods, but I hope they don't allow the user to cover or prevent the LED from coming on.
Privacy is a human right and should not be compromised or decided by fellow civilians who find the need to place wearable cameras on themselves, and limiting regulation to just how the data can be used and shared will not be enough or effective. As technology enters its Wild West era, it's becoming more concerning than fun or exciting as it used to be.
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Apparently you didn't read the article very well. So you want to be a creeper walking around with your AirPods camera on looking at objects or women?
Siri will be able to answer questions about objects or whatever the wearer happens to be looking at.
johnsawyercjs
macrumors 68000
Somewhat off-topic, but Dan's inclusion in his video of the iPhone models for 2027, along with mentioning that the upcoming AirPods with cameras might help with navigation, makes me wonder if, at some point, Apple might create a dashcam app for iOS that also helps fine-tune car navigation.
p96
macrumors regular
I bought a few Anker/Soundcore earbud models, in search for something better than the latest Beat$ earbuds that didn't fit right, and they have all impressed me.
teaneedz
macrumors regular
Likely no photos but NIR still means they will be able to detect faces and what it does with that data, especially if it captures facial geometry, becomes the real question. That now opens the discussion and risk of violating biometric laws--especially if there's no consent from the viewed. Privacy matters and biometric laws exist.
Designing for the exception doesn’t license surveilling the majority.
I don’t understand why people are freaking out about the cameras if the video isn’t accessible to the user. Isn’t Apple the privacy company?
Foldable phones, all-screen 20th anniversary phones, and now AirPods with cameras? Meanwhile, the user interface has been ruined with horrible Liquid Glass and the AI features are three years late. What has Apple become?
They seem more like a dirigible and less like something which might fit in an ear... Apple has really lost the plot!
Whatever social fallout there is from the camera models will surely affect owners of the traditional models.
Suddenly people will look suspiciously at all AirPod owners in sensitive locations, such as changing rooms. Are places going to ban “AirPods with cameras”, or just “AirPods”.
I think it would be awesome to help the blind with this technology, but this is just not the right form factor. It needs to be visually distinct und understandable. Blind folks are unlikely to block their ears, anyway.
surfbutler
macrumors newbie
Agreed. I don’t want to have to stop wearing my 3s in public just because overzealous camera haters can’t tell the difference.
Honestly, who ever try to sell me cameras on my ears and on my eyes, on my neck, on my jacket and who knows which part of my body you can think of, is never going to make money with me … I have a phone with a camera and that’s enough for me … also I truely think that government should seriously look at this intrusive trend social media men initially is trying to sell … Hoping John will drop this altogether and bring the products we truely needs like AR glasses, HomePod soundbar, … Sick of the Tim Cook era now …
No, because as we’ve learned in the past decade, most billionaires are disgusting sick freaks behind not-so-closed doors.
Naraxus
macrumors 68030
I would agree honestly. My imagination isn't all that great but one situation that I thought it could be useful for is for blind or people with poor eyesight. The cameras could alert such a user to a curb or some other danger they can't see and tell them via the APP's speakers.
time to buy a basic phone
I think I'd be happy with a basic comms module that I can carry about that makes & receives calls & texts and I can buy a more advanced thing that connects to it for times I need a better screen or camera.
I'm tired of being constantly monitored by ai
I think I'd be happy with a basic comms module that I can carry about that makes & receives calls & texts and I can buy a more advanced thing that connects to it for times I need a better screen or camera.
I'm tired of being constantly monitored by ai
People with impairments that can be accommodated with the help of AI wearables should be the only ones who can buy devices capable of surreptitious video/audio recordings.