Apple’s AirPods series is due for a refresh, and the next wireless earbuds might have something the predecessors didn’t have. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known analyst, the next AirPods could feature camera modules, and they would enter the mass production phase in 2026.
These camera modules aren’t the same sensors you find on the back of your iPhone. Instead, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, they’re infrared (IR) sensors, similar to the ones Apple uses for Face ID on its phones. These upgraded Apple AirPods are expected to pair with Vision Pro and other headsets the company may release in the future.
Thanks to the IR camera modules, these wireless headphones are expected to deliver a better quality of enhanced spatial audio experience. Kuo explains that the IR cameras can determine the specific direction users are turning their heads, which could help to accentuate the sound source in that direction to deliver a better spatial experience.
Kuo adds that AirPods’ IR cameras could help detect image changes in the environment. This could potentially enable “in-air gesture control” to provide better interaction with Apple headsets. It is worth noting that previous reports suggested that the company would launch two 4th generation wireless earbuds this year.
If they turn out to be correct, it’s possible that the rumored fourth-generation models won’t come with camera modules. Kuo isn’t the only one talking about AirPods with built-in camera modules. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported something similar last February.
Gurman also added that AirPods with IR cameras are one of the wearable ideas Apple is experimenting with. The company is also reportedly studying a product similar to the Meta Ray-Bans, a smart ring and a new version of the Apple Watch (40mm SE 2nd Gen, currently $189 on Amazon).
