Apple CEO Tim Cook is positioning Visual Intelligence — the company’s camera-powered AI feature — as the centerpiece of a new generation of wearable devices, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The move represents Apple’s most ambitious hardware expansion since the Apple Watch, spanning smart glasses, camera-equipped AirPods, and a wearable pendant, all designed to give the Siri digital assistant the ability to see and interpret the world around its users.
In his latest Power On newsletter published February 22, Gurman wrote that Cook, “like he did before the Apple Watch and Vision Pro, is dropping hints about Apple’s new next big thing: AI wearables centered around Visual Intelligence”. During a companywide meeting earlier this month, Cook told employees that Visual Intelligence is already “one of the most popular features” of Apple Intelligence and that the company is “all in” on AI investment.
Three Apple Devices, One Vision
Bloomberg first reported on February 17 that Apple is accelerating development of all three wearable devices, each built around a revamped version of Siri powered by Google’s Gemini models under a multi-year deal announced in January. All three products will rely on built-in cameras — not for photography, but to provide Siri with real-time visual context about the wearer’s surroundings.
The smart glasses, codenamed N50, are the most advanced of the trio. Prototypes have already been distributed to Apple’s hardware engineering team, with production targeted for as early as December 2026 and a launch expected in 2027. The glasses will feature dual cameras — one high-resolution lens for capturing photos and video, and a second dedicated to computer vision tasks such as object recognition, spatial awareness, and navigation.
The AI pendant, described internally as the “eyes and ears” of the iPhone, is a thin, circular device with two cameras, a speaker, and three microphones that can be clipped to clothing or worn as a necklace. Camera-equipped AirPods, meanwhile, are reportedly the furthest along in development and could ship as early as late 2026.
Catching Up in a Crowded Field
The wearables push comes as Apple works to close a perceived gap with competitors. Meta Platforms has found commercial success with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, while Google is partnering with Samsung and Warby Parker on AI-enhanced eyewear through its Android XR platform. OpenAI, working with former Apple designer Jony Ive, is also developing its own AI hardware.
Apple, however, appears to be betting that the combination of its 2.5 billion-device ecosystem, tight iPhone integration, and a Gemini-powered Siri can distinguish its approach. None of the three wearables will function as standalone devices — all will depend on the iPhone for processing, effectively serving as AI-enabled accessories.
A Familiar Playbook
The strategy mirrors a pattern Cook himself has acknowledged. At a companywide meeting last year, he reminded employees that Apple “rarely” enters a market first, pointing to the Mac, iPhone, and iPad as examples of products that arrived after competitors but defined their categories. Whether Apple can repeat that formula in AI wearables remains to be seen — particularly as the upgraded Siri, delayed multiple times since its 2024 preview, has yet to ship.
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Ref – https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/02/tim-cook-reportedly-tells-employees-apple-must-win-in-ai/
