Apple’s visual intelligence push hints at new AI wearables strategy

Apple’s recent discussions around visual intelligence and AI-driven hardware suggest the company may be preparing a fresh category of wearable devices. Industry reports indicate that upcoming products such as camera-enabled AirPods and an AI pendant could play a central role in Apple’s evolving ecosystem, driven by CEO Tim Cook’s renewed emphasis on computer vision technologies.

Apple to bank on visual intelligence

According to recent commentary highlighted by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s visual intelligence feature, currently part of Apple Intelligence, allows users to query and understand images through AI. At present, these capabilities rely partly on external services such as OpenAI and Google, but Apple is reportedly working on building its own visual models.

Developing in-house systems would give the company greater control over performance, privacy and integration across devices. Cook’s repeated references to visual intelligence during earnings discussions and internal meetings have been interpreted as signals of future hardware developments.

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Apple’s large installed base, estimated at over 2.5 billion devices, could provide a strong foundation for rolling out AI-powered features at scale. The company’s ongoing research in computer vision, augmented reality and interface analysis also supports speculation that visual intelligence may become a core platform technology connecting multiple product categories.

Rumoured Apple AI wearable devices

Rumoured hardware includes AirPods equipped with low-resolution or infrared cameras, expected to arrive around late 2026. These cameras are unlikely to focus on photography; instead, they could help AI understand surroundings and deliver contextual responses.

Smart glasses, sometimes referred to as Apple Glass, are also anticipated, initially offering audio and camera-based capabilities before advancing towards full augmented reality features. Another concept gaining attention is an AI pendant or pin that could capture visual data to enhance everyday interactions, from recognising objects to providing navigation prompts based on real-world landmarks.

However, technical hurdles such as miniaturisation, processing requirements and ongoing improvements to Siri’s contextual intelligence suggest that widespread adoption may still take time.

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Stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma for more updates on Apple’s AI future.