Apple is developing a wearable AI device that's been described as a pin or pendant, and that could compete with a similar AI product coming from OpenAI's Jony Ive. It wasn't clear if the wearable would actually make it to launch because Apple sometimes cancels projects, but it is still in the works and could come as soon as next year.
1. It'll Look Like an AirTag
Apple's design plans could change, but rumors suggest the device is a pin or pendant that looks similar to an AirTag. It's been described as having a thin, flat, circular disc shape, with an aluminum and glass shell. A physical control button is included on one edge.
Apple wants the final version of the device to be about the same size as an AirTag, but because of the hardware inside, it could be thicker.
It sounds like the wearable will be versatile. It could have a clip to attach to clothing like a pin, but there's also supposedly a hole in the device so it can be worn as a necklace. Rumors have referred to it as both a pin and a pendant.
2. There Will Be Cameras
Apple's AI wearable is going to have at least one camera, but rumors are mixed on exactly what the camera will be used for.
Bloomberg says the pin will have a low-resolution camera that gives it info about its surroundings rather than a camera for capturing photos and videos. The camera will be always-on and processing visual data, but users will not be able to use it for images.
The Information reports there will be two front cameras, one with a standard lens and one with a wide-angle lens for capturing photos and videos.
Apple's AI device will rely heavily on Visual Intelligence, which is currently an iPhone feature that uses the camera to provide users with more information about places and objects around them.
3. Siri is the Brain
Rumors have described Apple's wearable as an AI pin or pendant, because it's going to be reliant on artificial intelligence. It's one of several AI-equipped devices that Apple is working on, and it will give wearers a way to interface with Siri without having to use an iPhone.
The camera on the pin will give Siri insight, and Siri will be able to answer questions about what the wearer is looking at or the wearer's surroundings.
Apple is planning to completely overhaul Siri in iOS 27, turning the personal assistant into a much smarter chatbot on par with Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT.
4. iPhone Required
While the AI wearable will have a chip inside, it will be a smaller chip that's similar to the H2 in the AirPods. It won't use a high-powered chip, and most processing will need to be done on the iPhone.
The pin is not meant to be a standalone device, and it will instead be marketed as an iPhone accessory.
5. It'll Listen, But Might Not Talk Back
To listen for voice requests and to pick up sounds around the wearer, the AI pin will have a microphone. Apple has not yet decided whether to add a speaker for back-and-forth Siri conversations and audio playback.
If there's no speaker, responses might be directed to the wearer on the iPhone, Apple Watch, or AirPods.
While not too much has been reported about the next Apple Watch models, there are a few rumors about potential design changes and watchOS 27 features.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we have outlined some of the key rumored hardware and software changes below. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was just updated last year and it typically goes two to three years between refreshes.
Apple will unveil watchOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, June 8, and a developer beta will likely be available immediately afterwards. A public beta typically follows in July, and the update should be widely released in September.
Touch ID would likely be built into the Apple Watch's side button, enabling users to unlock the device with their fingerprint instead of a passcode.
Even though new Touch ID references were discovered within the code, there is no guarantee that Apple will move forward with this plan either this year or ever. In addition, credible sources such as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have yet to mention Touch ID coming to the Apple Watch this year.
New Chips After One-Year Hiatus
While the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 all contain the same S10 chip as the previous year's models, the leaked Apple code indicated that the Series 12 and Ultra 4 will get a new chip. It is unclear if the chip will have S11 or S12 branding, but performance improvements are expected either way.
On watchOS 26, the following Apple Intelligence features are available on an Apple Watch when it is paired with an iPhone 15 Pro or newer:
Workout Buddy
Live Translation in Messages
Notification Summaries
When it announced the dates for WWDC 2026, Apple promised to unveil "AI advancements" across its platforms, and it can be reasonably assumed that watchOS 27 will include some additional Apple Intelligence features powered by the iPhone.
New Satellite Features
Apple Watch Ultra 3 has built-in satellite connectivity, enabling Emergency SOS, Find My, and Messages via satellite without any reliance on an iPhone.
Amazon last month announced plans to acquire Globalstar, the satellite company that powers Apple's satellite features on the iPhone 14 and newer and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. In turn, Amazon announced that it has signed an agreement with Apple to provide satellite connectivity for current and future iPhone and Apple Watch features.
Plugable makes a wide range of accessories for Apple devices, and it is perhaps best known for its hubs and docks. There are several dock and hub options that work well with Apple's new low-cost MacBook Neo, and Plugable's solutions are affordable.
The UD–6950PDH USB-C 14-in–1 Dock is priced at $180, and it adds multiple ports to the MacBook Neo or another Mac. There's a 5Gb/s USB-C port that also provides power for accessories, four 5Gb/s USB-A ports (one of which can power peripherals), microSD and SD card reader slots, a 100W USB-C port for charging a connected MacBook, a 1Gb/s Ethernet port, two HDMI ports, two DisplayPorts, and a K-Lock for security.
The dock supports two 4K 60Hz displays connected via HDMI or DisplayPort, and it uses DisplayLink software to get around display limitations on the MacBook Neo and other Macs. Even though the MacBook Neo only supports one external 4K display natively, with the dock, it can power two displays.
For those who only need a single display, Plugable has the $50 9-in–1 USB-C Hub. It connects to the MacBook Neo or another Mac via USB-C, adding several useful ports. Unlike the dock, it does not need an external power source because it is bus-powered.
The hub has a 10Gb/s USB-C port, an HDMI 2.0 port, microSD and SD card slots, a USB 2.0 port, two 10Gb/s USB-A ports (one offers 15W charging for accessories), a USB-C port for 125W passthrough charging to the connected Mac, and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Plugable currently has a 15% discount on the 9-in–1 Hub on Amazon.
Plugable's MacBook Neo accessory lineup is rounded out with a compact $24 USB-C Charger Block, which comes in either black or white. The power adapter provides 30W for the MacBook Neo, which is ideal. It uses GaN technology so it's small in size, and it has collapsible prongs, making it ideal for travel. Plugable is offering a 16% discount on the power adapter on Amazon this week.
We have a MacBook Neo and a Plugable accessory kit to go along with it for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
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Plugable Giveaway (U.S. Only)The contest will run from today (May 8) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 15. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after May 15 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
Starting today, Apple will require customers in the U.S., Canada, and Chile to verify their status as a student or educator to get educational discounts. Apple is adopting the UNiDAYS verification system that it uses in other countries, with a new process to accommodate homeschool families.
Apple is also adding the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to its Education Store, which means students and teachers are now eligible for up to a 10 percent discount on Apple's most popular wearable.
Students and educators in the three countries can use the UNiDAYS app or website to verify their academic status with an email address from an educational institution, a student or staff photo ID, or another valid educational document.
Eligible customers who homeschool can also be verified by UNiDAYS. Verification requires an identity document like a driver's license or passport, and a homeschool document, such as a Letter of Intent or Letter of Acknowledgement. Most customers will be verified instantly, with UNiDAYS providing a decision in under 24 hours when manual review is required.
Once confirmed through UNiDAYS, students and educators in the U.S., Canada, and Chile will be able to purchase the Apple Watch and other Apple devices at Apple's discounted educational prices. Apple's Education Store offers special pricing on Macs, iPads, and the Studio Display, along with accessories like the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil.
Apple did not previously have an established academic status verification system in the U.S. or Canada, which meant that anyone could technically purchase from the Education Store. Apple's sales policies said that it routinely audited customer purchases to verify purchase conditions were followed. Apple briefly used UNiDAYS in the U.S. in 2022 to verify student status, but it was removed after a few days following complaints about issues with the verification process.
Apple's Education Store discounts are available to employees of K–12 institutions, faculty and staff of higher education institutions, students attending or accepted to higher education institutions, and parents purchasing on behalf of children attending or accepted to a higher education institution.
In addition to the U.S., Canada, and Chile, Apple has added the Apple Watch to the Education Store in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, France, Germany, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the UK.
Apple also expanded UNiDAYS verification requirements to Australia, Hong Kong, and Turkey yesterday.
Apple continues to work on a "pendant with cameras" for release as early as next year, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In a report today, Gurman said development of the all-new wearable accessory trails AirPods with cameras, which have apparently reached an advanced testing stage.
Apple also continues to work on smart glasses, according to his report.
Given the report was focused on the AirPods with cameras, no further details were provided about the pendant or the smart glasses. However, he has shared many details about the two products in his previous reporting, as recapped below.
Gurman previously described the pendant as an "AirTag-sized" accessory that would be reminiscent of the failed Humane AI Pin. However, it would be an iPhone accessory rather than a standalone product.
Humane AI Pin
The pendant would feature an "always-on" camera and a microphone for Siri voice commands, but it would lack a display and laser projector, according to the report. The pendant is said to have its own chip, but performance is limited, so the device will apparently rely heavily on a paired iPhone for processing.
Apple is said to be debating whether to add a speaker to the accessory.
The pendant would attach to a person's clothing with a clip, or you could insert a cord or chain into a hole in the device and wear it as a necklace.
In January, The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu were first to report about Apple's so-called AI pin or pendant project, which remains in an early stage of development inside the company. According to both reports, the device could launch as early as 2027, but there is still a chance the project could be canceled.
As for the smart glasses, he said Apple plans to unveil them in late 2026 or early 2027, but that they will not be released until next year either way.
Like the Meta Ray-Bans, Gurman said Apple's glasses will have built-in cameras that let users capture photos and videos. He also expects the glasses to have speakers and microphones for music, phone calls, and notifications announced by Siri.
Apple is apparently focused on tight iPhone integration and premium build quality.
He did not provide too many details about the iPhone integration, but he does expect the cameras on the glasses to be able to feed data to Siri and Apple Intelligence, and this should help to improve features such as turn-by-turn walking directions.
As for build quality, he said Apple is designing its own plastic frames, with the company allegedly testing at least four potential designs:
A larger rectangular frame, similar to Ray-Ban's Wayfarers
A slimmer rectangular design, similar to the glasses worn by Apple CEO Tim Cook
Larger oval or circular frames
Smaller oval or circular frames
Apple is exploring a range of color options, including black, ocean blue, and light brown, and the glasses may have vertically-oriented oval camera lenses, he said.
Meta uses glasses frames from Ray-Ban, the popular brand owned by Italian company EssilorLuxottica, while Google and Samsung are reportedly working on smart glasses in partnership with the American eyewear company Warby Parker.
Unlike the latest generation of Meta Ray-Bans, Gurman does not expect Apple's first smart glasses to be equipped with an in-lens augmented reality display.
Apple's upcoming camera-equipped AirPods Pro are nearing completion and have reached an "advanced" testing stage, reports Bloomberg. The design is almost finalized, as is the feature set, and early mass production could begin soon.
The AirPods Pro will have built-in cameras that will feed visual information about the wearer's surroundings to Siri. While there will be a longer stem for the camera in each AirPod, the device will otherwise look similar to the AirPods Pro 3.
The cameras in the AirPods will not be able to take photos or videos, and will solely be used for AI purposes. A small LED light will illuminate when the AirPods are sending visual information to Siri.
Apple wants users to be able to look at an item and ask Siri questions about it, working similarly to image uploads in chatbot apps. The cameras could also offer reminders based on visual information, and give more detailed turn-by-turn directions by viewing what's around the wearer.
The Camera app in iOS 27 is also set to get a Siri mode that incorporates Visual Intelligence, letting users do things like scan nutrition labels on food packaging for calorie tracking.
Apple wanted to start selling the camera-equipped AirPods Pro in the first half of 2026, but the product's launch has been held back because the smarter, AI version of Siri is not yet ready to be released. The new Siri is set to be introduced in September in iOS 27, macOS 27, and iPadOS 27, so we could see the AirPods Pro launch sometime in that same timeframe.
Apple could also opt to wait to launch the AirPods if it is not satisfied with the quality of the Visual Intelligence features planned for Siri.
It is not yet clear how the new AirPods will fit into Apple's lineup. Rumors suggest Apple does not intend to brand them as the "AirPods Pro 4," and they could instead be referred to as the AirPods Ultra, or perhaps AirPods Pro 3 With Cameras.
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