Apple is reportedly developing camera-equipped AirPods, smart glasses and a wearable pendant that would use visual information to support AI features. In a February 22, 2026, assessment, Mark Gurman linked the devices to CEO Tim Cook’s emphasis on Visual Intelligence.
The February 17 account of the development work cited people with knowledge of the plans, who asked not to be identified because the plans had not been announced. They described the devices as iPhone-linked accessories built around Siri. Apple declined to comment.
On Apple’s January 29 earnings call, Cook described Visual Intelligence as one of Apple Intelligence’s most popular features. He also said Apple’s installed base had surpassed 2.5 billion active devices. Gurman interpreted Cook’s attention to Visual Intelligence as an indication of its importance to the reported wearable projects.
Apple says Visual Intelligence helps users learn about objects and places through a supported iPhone’s camera and search or act on content displayed on its screen. Its capabilities include asking ChatGPT questions about visible content and searching Google or supported apps for similar images and products. Apple says users control when third-party tools are used and what information is shared.
The reported wearable plans
The AirPods under development would reportedly use low-resolution cameras to provide information for AI processing rather than conventional photography. Contemporary accounts described a possible release as early as 2026; that timing was a reported target.
The smart glasses were described as having cameras, microphones and speakers, without a display in the lenses. Their proposed camera system would support photography and video recording as well as interpretation of the wearer’s surroundings. The reported schedule called for production as early as December 2026 ahead of a possible 2027 release.
The pendant concept could reportedly be clipped to clothing or worn around the neck, with a camera supplying visual information and an iPhone handling much of the processing. Accounts described the project as being at an early stage and potentially subject to cancellation.
Proposed applications included identifying objects, reading text and providing walking directions informed by the wearer’s surroundings. Context-aware reminders and live translation were also discussed as possibilities. These descriptions concerned development goals and potential uses.
Visual models and outside partnerships
Gurman’s assessment also described Apple’s work on its own visual models as part of the wearable strategy. That reported work sits alongside the company’s disclosed collaboration with Google.
In a January 12 joint statement, Apple and Google said the next generation of Apple Foundation Models would be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. They said those models would support future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri, while Apple Intelligence would continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute.
