Key Takeaways
1. Upcoming AirPods Pro may include built-in infrared (IR) cameras to assess surroundings.
2. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts IR-enabled AirPods will be launched in 2026.
3. Mark Gurman from Bloomberg notes Apple is considering IR camera integration for AirPods in the near future.
4. Possible uses for the IR cameras include enhancing spatial audio and gesture control.
5. Current information is speculative; it’s unclear if this will lead to a new model or an upgrade of the existing AirPods Pro 3.
Apple might be shifting its focus from just sound to include sight for its upcoming AirPods model.
Rumors circulating on X suggest that the next version of Apple’s AirPods Pro could feature built-in infrared (IR) cameras designed to assess the user’s surroundings. A leaker named “Kosutami” has indicated that these cameras aim to enhance the spatial audio experience. It is said that each earbud will likely contain at least one camera.
Analyst Insights
This speculation aligns with earlier statements from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who mentioned in 2024 that Apple was developing AirPods equipped with IR cameras. Kuo predicted that these IR-enabled AirPods would be launched in 2026. In a blog entry from March 2025, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also noted that Apple was contemplating the integration of IR cameras into AirPods in the foreseeable future. Additionally, another leaker, “Instant Digital,” asserts that an IR version of AirPods Pro is on the way this year.
Uncertain Purposes
The exact function of the IR cameras remains a topic of discussion. Some insiders suggest that they will enhance spatial audio, especially in conjunction with Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Conversely, others propose that they might be used for gesture control, akin to the existing head movements used to accept or decline calls.
As a reminder, all of these assertions are currently just speculations. It’s still uncertain if they will lead to a fresh model of AirPods Pro or merely an upgraded version of the existing AirPods Pro 3 earbuds, which are currently listed on Amazon for $209.99.
Kosutami on X
Source:
Link
Leave a Reply