We expect most of Apple ’s AirPods headphones to get updated in pin 2024 , with Cupertino unveiling its 4th - gen AirPods and second - gen AirPods Max , along with the possibly launch of anentirely new AirPods Litemodel . But a new account raises interesting question about where the range will go beyond that : According to the extremely respected analystMing - Chi Kuo , Apple is working on a surprising ironware upgrade for its popular earbuds — cameras .
Cameras might seem like a counterintuitive improver to the headphones ’ computer hardware capabilities : How could a exploiter possibly take a photo using their AirPods with any kind of accuracy ? ( Not just because of the ungainly position in the ear ; there ’s also no screen to habituate as a viewfinder if you hold the earbud in your hand . ) But this camera is n’t for photography . The module will house an IR ( infrared ) camera and is much airless in function to the Face ID faculty on an iPhone . Kuo show out , however , that it will be interchangeable to the iPhone ’s Face IDreceiver , not the transmitter which externalize infrared light on to target objects , so it wo n’t be adequate to of accurately modeling the world in three-D or scanning faces for biometric unlocks .
Rather , this upgrade is intended to enable simpler environmental imagination , potential for one principle purpose : “ in - air motion ascendance to enhance human - twist interaction . ” So or else of being limited to swipes and taps on the AirPods ’ body , the drug user will be able to make motion in front of themselves and the AirPods will spot these and action the relevant control .
If that sounds like the wayVision Prois hold in , this is no coincidence ; Kuo also believe the AirPods will be elevate to make them in force fellow for Apple ’s augmented - reality headset . “ For example , ” he writes , “ when a substance abuser is watching a picture with Vision Pro and wearing [ these ] new AirPods , if user turn their heads to look in a specific centering , the sound beginning in that focal point can be emphasize to enhance the spatial audio / computing experience . ”
What Kuo does n’t specify is which mannequin of AirPods are work to get these new capabilities . But the best stakes is that they will land on AirPods Pro first , as part of Apple ’s ongoing feat to encourage customers to spend more on its high - end product . The camera - equip AirPods will arrive by 2026 , Kuo claims , which is about the time we can expect a 2nd - gen Vision Pro .
For all the late news and rumors refer Apple ’s phone stove , check over out our on a regular basis updatednew AirPods superguide . And if you ca n’t wait until the descent , foot up a bargain on the current range with our roundup of thebest AirPods deals .
