Apple aims to make the iPhone irreplaceable with its wearables and Android needs to be ready

Apple has been looking to break into new product categories. It’s previously been reported that the Cupertino-based firm is working on several different projects, with a focus on AI. This includes smart glasses, camera-equipped AirPods, and an AI-powered pendant. A new report has shed more light on what exactly Apple is up to with these devices.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is ramping up work on its smart glasses, AI pendant, and AirPods with expanded AI capabilities. They are being built around Siri and the AI assistant will use visual context to complete tasks, hence the cameras that will be present in all three products. The outlet’s sources claim the AirPods and pendant are meant to be simpler offerings that rely on the iPhone, while the smart glasses will be a more advanced and feature-rich option.

Smart Glasses

Starting with the smart glasses, this will be a direct competitor to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. This means there won’t be a display, but there will be cameras, speakers, microphones, and AI. Apple is reportedly working on glasses with an augmented display, too. However, those are planned for down the road.

Codenamed N50, it’s said that the tech giant has made “significant progress” on the device. Bloomberg states that the company “recently distributed a broader set of prototypes within its hardware engineering division.” And it appears that Apple is looking at 2027 for the public release.

When the smart glasses launch, it’s expected that it will be able to make phone calls, access Siri, take actions based on surroundings, play music, and take photos. It’ll pretty much be able to handle what other smart glasses can handle. It’s also mentioned that it could possibly be used for more advanced use cases, like digitizing printed text from a poster and adding it to your calendar or referencing real-world landmarks. However, Apple plans to differentiate its product by focusing on build quality and camera technology.

On that end, the glasses reportedly feature high-end materials, including acrylic. This is meant to give the device a premium feel. It will also come equipped with two cameras, one for high-resolution imagery and the other for dedicated computer vision and environmental context. Unlike its competitors, Apple won’t be striking a partnership with a third-party brand and is handling design in-house. The company is expected to launch the smart glasses in different colors, sizes, and designs over time.

AI pendant

Earlier this year, there was a report that Apple could pick up where Humane left off and create a new AI pin. This pendant was described as being about the size of an AirTag, but slightly thicker. Unlike Humane’s AI pin, however, this pendant, which can either be clipped onto your shirt or be worn as a necklace, is not designed to be a standalone piece. Rather, it’s built to be an accessory for the iPhone. Apple employees reportedly call it the “eyes and ears” of the phone.

This pendant won’t have a projector like Humane’s device, nor will it have a screen. Apple is only giving the device an always-on camera, a microphone for Siri input, and a dedicated chip. It appears the company is wrestling back and forth on whether to give it a speaker.

AirPods

We’ve known since 2024 that Apple has been exploring the idea of making AirPods with built-in cameras. The purpose of these cameras wouldn’t be to take selfies, but instead to help Siri do its job. As a result, these cameras will have a low resolution. Bloomberg says that these earbuds could release as early as this year and they could feature additional AI-powered abilities, like live translation.

Whatever Apple does, it could have an impact on what other companies do. For example, it was previously reported that Samsung was also exploring the idea of putting cameras in a future pair of Galaxy Buds.