Apple is picking up where Humane left off

Even after the failure of the Humane AI Pin, it appears some companies still have not given up on the concept. One of the biggest names in the tech industry, in fact, is reportedly developing its own AI-powered wearable. Despite its struggles with the technology, Apple could expand its product line-up with an AI pin.

According to a report from The Information, sources with knowledge of the project say that an AI-powered pin is in the works over at Apple. The project is reportedly in the very early stages of development and could still be canceled. It’s said that Apple plans to manufacture around 20 million units at launch, which could happen sometime in 2027.

Although it’s still in the early days of development, the report does have a few details about the device. The pin is expected to be about the size of an AirTag, but slightly thicker. It features a thin, flat, circular disc-like design with an aluminum-and-glass shell. This pin is said to include two cameras (a standard lens and a wide-angle lens), three microphones, a speaker, and a physical button. Additionally, it features “a magnetic inductive charging interface on its back, similar to the one used on the Apple Watch.”

At the moment, it’s unclear if the pin will be a standalone product or a companion piece bundled with another product. The report points out that the presence of a physical button, microphones, and a speaker does seem to suggest you’ll be able to interact with the pin independently. However, it could connect to a more powerful device, like an iPhone.

It appears that the current version of the pin would also require you to buy additional accessories to attach it to clothes or bags. But since it’s early in development, the design could change to make that unnecessary.

A common theme in this report is that Apple wants to keep up with the likes of OpenAI. Speaking of which, we reported last week that the company behind ChatGPT may be working on AI-powered earbuds that could compete against Apple’s AirPods. The earbuds reportedly have an “unseen before” design and could launch in September.