A rare leaked video from Apple, known for secrecy surrounding future products, shows what appear to be AirPods that contain cameras and use artificial intelligence.
The video comes after months of speculation, largely fuelled by patents filed by Apple, about how the company might reinvent its popular AirPod wireless headphones.
MacRumors, which covers all things related to Apple, was the first to report the product. The news site had been examining a beta version of the MacOS Tahoe 26.7 operating system when it came upon a video that appeared to show how Apple's future AirPods would work.
A narrator on the video is heard explaining the product as a man wearing AirPods looks at a book.
“With visual intelligence, your world becomes savable,” the narrator says. “If you see something you like, just ask me to save it for later.”
The video is only 13 seconds long, but at the time of writing had more than 3.2 million views.
Before it was leaked, some people had expressed concern that a camera feature for AirPods would enable covert recording.
However, technology analysts say the video makes it clearer how the cameras and AI will be implemented to prevent nefarious use. They say it appears users will not be able to record or store video without others around them knowing. Instead will help users learn more about their surroundings, helping with everyday tasks and synching with Apple's iPhone and computers.
“I’m excited to see how Apple builds hardware products designed from the ground up for artificial intelligence,” wrote technology executive and expert Joel Teitelbaum. “I’ve had to spend all day explaining to people that these will not capture nor store images or videos.”
Apple enthusiast and Dubai maritime electronics executive Jimmy Grewal said the video validates Apple's patience in the AI race.
“They have been pioneers in the integration of machine learning and AI capabilities into their silicon,” he said, referencing Apple's foray into semiconductors over the last decade.
Mr Grewal, who has the largest and rarest collection of Apple products in the Middle East, said the video gives a glimpse into what Apple might have planned in the years ahead.
“These rumoured products would be the first completely designed around the new Siri and Apple Intelligence,” he said.
Apple's Siri voice assistant, which the company has been criticised for letting collect dust in recent years, received positive reviews shortly after the company released previews of it in beta form.
It is not yet clear when Apple plans to release the AirPods with cameras and sensors. But the discovery of the video showing its capabilities in test software could suggest its release is sooner than expected.
Apple has not yet commented on the video.
Mohit Agrawal, a director for Counterpoint Research, a technology market analysis firm said that he expects the yet-to-be released AirPods to be used as a visual sensor to add context to Apple's Siri AI assistant instead of just taking pictures or saving pictures for future reference.
"This is likely Apple’s way of creating a connected AI where it distributes sensing across various devices," Mr Agrawal explained.
He said that based on Counterpoint's data and current trends, consumers can probably expect for camera-equipped AirPods to cost $300, approximately $50 more than the company's current AirPod Pro models.
"We expect a third of the projected volumes of AirPods in 2027 to be cornered by the rumored device," he said.
"This should translate into roughly 25 million units."
