TLDR:
- Apple is working on three AI wearables: an AI pin, smart glasses and camera AirPods
- The AI pin is AirTag-sized with two cameras, three mics and always-on Siri
- Smart glasses are targeting a 2027 launch with voice AI and live translation
- Camera AirPods could arrive as early as 2026
- Apple is racing against OpenAI and Meta in the AI hardware space
- All devices will connect to iPhone and power a smarter, more visual Siri
Apple is quietly working on something big. According to recent reports, the company is developing not one but three AI-powered wearable devices. A smart pin, smart glasses and camera-equipped AirPods. If things go to plan, some of these could be in your hands as early as 2026 or 2027.
Here’s everything you need to know.
The AI Pin:
Let’s start with the one that got everyone talking.
Apple is reportedly developing a thin, circular disc about the size of an AirTag made of aluminum and glass. That you can clip to your shirt, bag, or even wear as a pendant around your neck.
The specs are surprisingly detailed for something still in early development:
- Two cameras — a standard lens and a wide-angle lens, always scanning your surroundings
- Three microphones to pick up audio around you
- A speaker for back-and-forth Siri conversations
- A dedicated low-power chip, similar to what’s inside AirPods with your iPhone handling the heavy lifting
- Magnetic inductive charging, similar to Apple Watch
The whole idea is for this pin to act as the eyes and ears of your iPhone. Feeding Siri real-world context so it can actually be helpful in everyday situations.
One important note though: development is still in early stages and Apple could cancel this product if it doesn’t meet their standards.
Why Apple Is Moving So Fast
Apple isn’t doing this just for fun. There’s real competitive pressure pushing things along.
OpenAI is reportedly launching its first AI wearable device in 2026. A collaboration with legendary designer Jony Ive. Meta already has its Ray-Ban smart glasses on the market and they’re selling well. Apple clearly doesn’t want to be left behind in the AI hardware race.
There’s also the cautionary tale of Humane’s AI Pin hanging over this whole category. Humane a startup founded by two former Apple employees launched their own AI pin back in 2024 and it flopped badly. It sold fewer than 10,000 units, faced harsh criticism for slow performance and poor battery life and the company was eventually sold to HP for just $116 million.
Apple is betting they can succeed where Humane couldn’t by tying the pin deeply into the iPhone ecosystem and using a far more powerful AI backend.
Apple Smart Glasses: The Real Prize
The AI pin is interesting, but Apple’s ai smart glasses might be the most exciting product of the three.
Apple has already handed out prototypes to its hardware engineering team and is targeting a 2027 launch, with production potentially kicking off as early as late 2026.
These glasses won’t have AR screens in the lenses at least not yet. But they’ll still pack some useful features:
- Two cameras — one high-res for photos and video. One dedicated to giving Siri visual awareness of your environment
- Voice-based Siri for calls, music, directions and questions
- Live translation, context-aware reminders and the ability to scan physical text like event flyers and add them straight to your calendar
- Premium materials with multiple frame sizes and colors. Apple’s clear edge over Meta’s Ray-Bans
Apple considered partnering with an existing eyewear brand but decided to design their own frames entirely in-house. Expect a premium feel and a premium price tag to match.
Camera AirPods Are Coming Too
Of the three products, AirPods with built-in cameras are the furthest along in development and could arrive as early as 2026.
These cameras aren’t for taking selfies. They’re low-resolution sensors designed purely to give Siri passive visual awareness of what’s around you. like your own personal AI assistant that can actually see the world.
The Bigger Picture
All three of these products share one core idea: give Siri real-world vision so it can be genuinely useful not just a voice assistant that answers trivia questions.
Apple is also reportedly building a brand new, more conversational version of Siri for iOS 27 that will serve as the brain powering all of these devices.
This is Apple’s answer to a bold question: what does AI look like when it lives on your body, not just in your pocket?
Whether every product makes it to store shelves or not, one thing is clear. Apple is deadly serious about AI wearables and the next couple of years are going to be very exciting to watch.
Stay tuned to TechGlimmer for the latest updates on Apple’s AI hardware lineup.
Sources
- Apple is working on an AI-powered wearable pin — 9to5Mac
- Apple Working on Three AI Wearables: Smart Glasses, AI Pin, and AirPods With Cameras — MacRumors
- Apple Ramps Up Work on Glasses, Pendant, and Camera AirPods for AI Era — Bloomberg
- Apple is reportedly cooking up a trio of AI wearables — TechCrunch
- Report: Apple plans to launch AI-powered wearable pin device as soon as 2027 — Ars Technica
- Apple AI Pin Wearable In The Works, Says Report — Forbes
- This time it’ll work: Apple rumored to be developing a wearable AI pin — AppleInsider
