Apple is reportedly working on an AirTag-sized AI wearable pin with cameras

Apple AirTag

Apple is reportedly developing a new wearable device that could be released as early as 2027, according to a report by The Information. The device, described as a small pin roughly the size of an AirTag, would represent a fresh hardware experiment for Apple as it looks to reposition itself in an AI-driven consumer market.

People familiar with the project told The Information that the wearable is a thin, flat, circular disc with an aluminium-and-glass shell. Despite its compact size, the device is said to include two cameras on the front, one standard and one wide-angle, designed to capture photos and videos of the user’s surroundings. It would also feature three microphones to pick up ambient audio, along with a built-in speaker.

The wearable reportedly includes a physical button on its edge and uses a magnetic inductive charging system similar to the Apple Watch. Apple engineers are said to be targeting a form factor comparable to an AirTag, though slightly thicker. However, the report stresses that development remains in very early stages and that the project could still be cancelled.

According to the report, Apple is attempting to accelerate development in order to compete with OpenAI’s first wearable device, which is expected to debut in 2026. It remains unclear whether Apple’s pin would function as a standalone product or rely on other devices such as AirPods, the iPhone, or Apple’s rumoured smart glasses.

The move comes at a time when the market for AI wearables has proven difficult. The Information points to the failure of Humane’s AI Pin as a cautionary example. Humane, founded by former Apple employees, reportedly sold fewer than 10,000 units of its wearable before parts of the company were sold to HP for $116 million. The Humane Pin was criticised for slow performance and poor battery life, despite its ambitious design that included projecting an interface onto the user’s palm.

Apple’s reported exploration of a pin-style wearable follows a period of upheaval in its AI strategy. The company has faced criticism for delays and underwhelming delivery of AI features announced at WWDC 2024. This was followed by the departure of John Giannandrea, Apple’s former head of AI, and the recent confirmation that Google’s Gemini models will underpin parts of the revamped Siri and Apple Intelligence.