The race for embedded AI accelerated this week. Apple is no longer content to watch Meta sell millions of connected Ray-Bans: the Cupertino firm is simultaneously preparing three artificial intelligence wearable devices, all designed to enhance Siri with contextual vision. Connected glasses, a pendant, and AirPods with integrated cameras, the target is set for 2027.
A triple bet on physical AI
Apple is accelerating the development of three distinct AI wearables, according to a report by Mark Gurman for Bloomberg published on February 17, 2026. The three products share a common philosophy: integrated cameras that allow Siri to "see" the user's environment in real-time to perform contextual tasks. This shift is not about a gadget, but reflects a deep strategic conviction: the interface of tomorrow will no longer be a screen, but an object that one wears.
The market context is clear. Meta has sold millions of units of its Ray-Ban Smart Glasses, OpenAI has announced its own wearable devices, and Apple, which missed the anticipated blockbuster launch of Apple Intelligence, needs to reposition its vision of AI. These three devices represent a direct and coordinated response.
Smart glasses: top priority, release in 2027
The flagship product of this trinity is undoubtedly the connected glasses, codenamed internally N50. Apple has confirmed its intention to begin production in December 2026, for a targeted launch in 2027. The ambition is clear: to surpass Meta's Ray-Bans in terms of quality and technological sophistication, not price.
Contrary to what some had hoped, there will be no integrated screen in this first version. The interface relies entirely on speakers, microphones, and two distinct cameras: one dedicated to high-resolution photos and videos, the other focused on AI functions. Specifically, the glasses will allow users to make calls, listen to music, take photos, receive navigation by landmarks rather than GPS coordinates, and convert physical text into digital data via a version of Visual Intelligence. Apple also plans contextual reminders, such as alerting the user in front of a supermarket shelf that an item is missing from their shopping list.
The embedded chip will be derived from the Apple Watch architecture, optimized for minimal power consumption. Apple is manufacturing the frames in-house, without relying on an external partner like Meta does with Ray-Ban and EssilorLuxottica.
The AI pendant: the legacy of Humane's mistakes
The second device is probably the most audacious, and the most politically risky: an artificial intelligence pendant. Described as an "always-on camera" for the iPhone, it can be worn as a brooch on clothing or as a necklace. The Information revealed it in January, describing it as a thin, circular disc with an aluminum and glass casing, the size of an AirTag, equipped with two cameras, a speaker, and three microphones.
Bloomberg explicitly compares it to Humane AI Pin, the gadget that was a resounding failure in 2024, but highlights the fundamental differences. Where the Humane aimed for total autonomy with a laser projector, Apple's device relies heavily on the iPhone for data processing. It has its own chip, but delegates computing power to the smartphone. Apple engineers internally call it "the eyes and ears" of the phone.
The question of the integrated speaker remains under internal debate: including it would allow direct conversations with Siri without taking out the iPhone or wearing AirPods, but it complicates the design and energy consumption. A launch is planned as early as 2027 if Apple definitively approves the project.
AirPods with cameras: the discreet option for those resistant to glasses
The third part of this strategy is perhaps the most accessible to the general public: AirPods equipped with cameras, planned for this year 2026 according to the latest available information. The logic is explicitly inclusive: targeting users who do not want to wear smart glasses on their faces.
The onboard camera will be low-resolution, designed exclusively to feed the AI with contextual information, not to capture usable photos. Apple has been progressively enhancing its AirPods since 2025, notably with a live translation mode, and the camera fits into this ramp-up of Apple Intelligence features. EEG sensors for reading brain activity are also the subject of internal research, opening up even more radical prospects for future generations.
The real challenge: redefining the role of the iPhone
These three devices share a fundamental characteristic: they are not autonomous. They all revolve around the iPhone, which remains the central brain of the system. This is both a strength, because it avoids the failure of Humane, and a constraint, because it means these wearables are not intended to replace the smartphone but to extend it into the physical space.
The real question is about Siri. Apple has promised a profound overhaul of its assistant for two years, with contextual action capabilities far beyond simple voice commands. These three wearables are exactly the type of surfaces that will make this AI indispensable, or that will publicly expose its shortcomings. This is the riskiest bet Cupertino has made since the Apple Watch.
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