Apple plans to begin mass production of a new AirPods model equipped with infrared cameras by 2026, reports Ming-Chi Kuo in a new post on Medium.
Per the report, the cameras on the AirPods will be based around the IR receiver already used for Face ID for today’s iPhones and iPads and will unlock more capabilities for spatial audio and computing with Vision Pro. As a start, Apple plans to manufacture around 20 million units of the camera-equipped AirPods by 2026, with Foxconn being the main supplier for its mass production.
The IR camera is also said to enable new gestures that will allow users to interact with the wireless earphones without directly touching the device. As reported by Bloomberg earlier this year, Apple has been exploring adding cameras to its earbuds as somewhat of a competitor to the Meta Ray-Bans as the Cupertino company looks to expand its smart wearables portfolio while introducing AI to more products.
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In the short term, Apple is looking to release the fourth-generation AirPods later this year with two high-end and low-end iterations. The company also plans to refresh the AirPods Max with new colors and a USB-C port while retaining the H1 chip.
