Apple may develop its own AI wearable, according to a report published Wednesday by The Information. The device will be a pin that users can wear on their clothing and is equipped with two cameras and three microphones, the report said.
If the rumored devices hit the market, it would be another sign that the AI hardware market is heating up. This news follows comments made by OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane to Davos attendees on Monday that his company will announce its highly anticipated first AI hardware devices later this year. Additional reports suggest that the device may be a pair of earbuds.
Apple’s device is described as a “thin, flat, circular disk composed of an aluminum and glass shell,” and engineers hope to make it the same size as the AirTags but “slightly thicker.” According to the report, the Finn will not only have two cameras for photos and videos – one with a standard lens and the other wide-angle – but it will also have physical buttons, a speaker, and a Fitbit-like charging strip on the back.
Apple may be in the process of accelerating the development of this product to compete with OpenAI. These pins could potentially launch in 2027 and could include 20 million at launch, the report notes. TechCrunch has reached out to Apple for more information.
But we don’t know yet whether consumers want these kinds of AI devices. The two Apple alumni previously founded Humane AI, a startup that also sold AI pins. Humane’s fins also have a built-in microphone and camera. However, it suffered a slump after launch, and the company was forced to cease operations and sell its assets to HP within two years of the product’s launch.
