AirPods Ultra, featuring built-in cameras, have entered the final phase of testing with an almost final design. However, a major obstacle is holding back their commercialization.
According to information from Mark Gurman, a generally very well-informed Bloomberg journalist, AirPods with integrated cameras have entered the final phase of testing. The design would be final, and the product almost ready for marketing. However, there remains a major obstacle: the performance of the new Siri boosted by Gemini.
AirPods Ultra enter final testing phase
According to information from Mark Gurman, camera-equipped AirPods, known as AirPods Ultra, have entered the final phase of testing. The product development would have more precisely entered the phase of validation you designthe penultimate step before mass production.
The design would therefore be almost final and would be very similar to the AirPods Pro 3. We would find two tiny cameras, one in each earpiece, as well as a stem. A small LED light would also light up when the environment is filmed.
The two cameras integrated into the headphones will film in low quality. We are not talking about the high-resolution cameras found on certain models of connected glasses, such as the Meta Ray-Ban. The purpose of the cameras built into AirPods Ultra is to provide Siri with a visual context. For example, if you look at a monument, Siri will be able to tell you some historical information via the AirPods Ultra. So no need to take out your iPhone, looking in the right direction should be enough.
Siri blocks the marketing of AirPods Ultra
If the AirPods Ultra seem to be almost ready, Siri is blocking their marketing. The new version of Siri, from now on boosted by Geminitook a considerable delayand it doesn’t really seem to be getting any better. Recently we learned that Apple had sent its AI engineers for refresher training. As a reminder, the new Siri should be presented on June 8, during WWDC 2027. Its deployment to the general public is planned for September in iOS 27. Suffice to say that the timing is tight, and expectations are excessive.
Apple initially wanted to release the AirPods Ultra in the first half of 2026, but the device needs the new Siri to fully deploy its capabilities. In other words, the body is ready, but the brain is not yet. Therefore, two scenarios are possible according to Mark Gurman: a launch during the fall of 2026, if all goes well, or a postponement to 2027. The scenario of a postponement to 2027 is more likely to occur according to analysts. We will probably have to be patient before we can put the AirPods Ultra in our ears.
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Source :
Bloomberg
