The AirPods of the future won't just be for music. According to reports from May 7, Apple's new earbuds with an integrated camera have reached the DVT phase, the penultimate stage before production. The prototypes already have an almost finalized design, and employees are testing them in secret. The camera isn't for photos, but for Siri to interpret the environment and act as your eyes.
How the camera that sees for you works 🎧
The AirPods camera doesn't capture selfies, but environmental data for Siri. You'll be able to ask what to cook with the ingredients in front of you, and the assistant will analyze the scene. It will also give navigation directions based on visual landmarks. A privacy LED lights up when sending data to the cloud, alerting you that the camera is active. The whole process is designed to be discreet, although the idea of an earbud looking into your fridge is still strange.
Now Siri watches you while you look for your keys 👀
Apple has found a way for not just your phone to spy on you, but also your earbuds. The privacy LED is a nice touch, but in practice, when it lights up while you're looking for your keys, you'll think you're being filmed for a reality show. The best part is that now Siri can judge your empty fridge in real time. The convenience of asking what's for dinner comes at a price: the assistant knowing how messy you are.