Apple is developing new AirPods with cameras on the side and their purpose is terrifying

Apple has developed and is currently testing a new pair of AirPods that have cameras on the sides that will likely be released to the public in the not-too-distant future, and they honestly sound horrifying.

According to a new report by Bloomberg, Apple is in the late stages of developing the AirPods with built-in cameras, which are designed to support and enhance AI. Basically, the cameras act as “eyes” for Siri, helping the digital assistant by watching your surroundings.

The AirPods capture the space around you while you’re wearing them and provide information to Siri. So, the idea is that you can ask a question about an item you’re looking at, and the camera in the AirPods will capture the object and send the information to the AI bot.

For example, you could be looking at an ingredient in a supermarket and ask Siri what you could make for dinner with it. Or, you could be looking at a flower in a park and ask Siri what the plant is called. It sounds very clever and like something out of a sci-fi movie, but also quite frankly, terrifying. And it gets worse.

This is frightening. https://t.co/Ip591tcovu

— Winter (@LeftyWinter) May 26, 2026

On top of being able to ask Siri questions, Apple is reportedly working on other uses, too. As explained by Bloomberg, the camera AirPods could “give the wearer a reminder based on something the camera sees” or “cite a specific landmark ahead when telling users when they should turn”.

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Apparently, the cameras only film in low-resolution and aren’t designed to take pictures or video, but the quality must be decent for it to accurately pick up on its surroundings.

As expected, the product is already raising privacy concerns because people rightfully don’t want to be filmed without their permission. “How would this get around privacy laws?” one person asked on Twitter. Another said: “I would immediately put a sticker over that lens.” A third person added: “How about fu**ing NO. I can’t even imagine what or how pervs will use this and access this.” A terrifying thought.

The AirPods supposedly have a small LED light that turns on when collecting data, notifying other people when they are being filmed. That’s how they plan to get around privacy concerns. Right.

They have reportedly been in development for four years and were supposed to go on sale in the first half of 2026, but were postponed after Siri was revamped. The new Siri is coming in September 2026, and the AirPods will likely go on sale at some point after. The thought of everyone walking around with cameras on their AirPods puts me on edge.

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