Apple is developing AirPods with built-in infrared cameras, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The camera modules will be similar to the iPhone’s Face ID receiver but will instead detect changes in the environment and enhance the spatial audio experience on the Vision Pro and any other headsets Apple develops, Kuo writes in a Medium post.
"When a user is watching a video with Vision Pro and wearing new AirPods, if users turn their heads to look in a specific direction, the sound source in that direction can be emphasized to enhance the spatial audio/computing experience," Kuo explains.
The cameras might also unlock "in-air gesture control" for the AirPods. Apple has already filed various patents in this area, Kuo notes.
But don't expect these next-gen AirPods to hit shelves in time for the holiday season. Kuo says they'll enter mass production by 2026, with Foxconn providing the IR cameras. The supplier could pump out 18-20 million units annually, or 10 million AirPods.
Until then, we'll likely get fourth-gen AirPods and next-gen AirPods Max later this year and new AirPods Pro in 2025, according to an October report from Bloomberg.
The Vision Pro, meanwhile, launched earlier this year, and rumors suggest we won't get a second-gen version until late 2025. It might also be a less premium and more affordable version that helps Apple compete with VR headsets from Meta.