Apple’s AirPod family has done just about everything it could without needlessly stuffing overpriced tech where it doesn’t belong. It was only a matter of time before the Fruit Company retroactively morphed these premium earbuds into AI-toting wearables, and now it seems like that time has finally come. A little early, for our liking.
Ambitious AirPods
That’s because Apple’s still having trouble getting its artificial intelligence ambitions off the ground without Google stepping in to help. If it can get that side under control, though, we’d be on board for what’s coming to the next generation of AirPods Pro — cameras to “see around you”, according to leaker “Kosutami“.
Granted, the leak doesn’t give much away. It doesn’t even mention cameras specifically, leading us to believe that the next-gen AirPods Pro will pack at least one infrared sensor, based on something Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned many moons back. The upgrade could not only enable more advanced AI functionality, but also permit the buds to read hand gestures and provide enhanced spatial audio when paired with Vision Pro.
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The eventual goal would be to have the onboard Siri reacting to environmental data, making it feel like more of an AI-powered companion than a silly little chatbot, and ultimately requiring fewer interactions with the smartphone controlling it. Another leaker known as ‘Instant Digital’ corroborated the rumours in September.
Kosutami’s leak is made more interesting in that it claims that Apple won’t bump up the price compared to the previous generation, despite the extra hardware tacked on. The AirPods Pro 3 launched in September last year for $250. We’ll likely catch a glimpse at the Fruit Company’s next Pro earbuds in the second half of the year — likely alongside the launch of the company’s next iPhone.
