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Could this be another Vision Pro moment for Apple?
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The Humane AI Pin
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According to the latest report from The Information, Apple is developing its own wearable AI Pin. The Apple product could potentially rival the forthcoming Jony Ive-designed AI hardware device that OpenAI has scheduled for a 2026 release.
The Information states that, “according to people with direct knowledge of the project,” Apple’s AI Pin is roughly the size of an AirTag and is equipped with multiple cameras, a speaker, microphones, and wireless charging. The device could be released as early as 2027, the report claims.
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A future beyond smartphones
The real question isn’t about specs – it’s about how you’d actually use the device. Interest in wearable AI devices was rekindled last year when OpenAI announced that it was acquiring Jony Ive’s IO company so it could work on an Ive-designed wearable AI device.
Since then, we’ve heard all kinds of rumors. OpenAI’s mysterious gadget could take the form of an AI-powered pen, or it could be AirPods-like earphones that sit behind your ear rather than inside it.
Just about the only thing we know for sure is that it’s coming in 2026, meaning we’ll find out what it is soon, and that it could be the start of an era where we move beyond smartphones.
What we don’t know about the Ive-designed device is how it will actually work. All we know so far is that it’s a hardware product powered by AI.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The most famous wearable AI product to date, the Humane AI Pin, turned out to be a failure, largely because it couldn’t really stand alone as a product without a constant connection to a smartphone. While I didn’t get a chance to use the Humane AI Pin myself, I have used the Rabbit R1, an AI device designed to be controlled by voice commands, and I struggled to find a use for it that my smartphone can't do better.
For any wearable AI product to succeed, it needs to overcome that hurdle, and so far, none have.
Achilles heel
While Apple has undeniable and proven hardware development skills, AI has been something of an Achilles heel for the Cupertino giant. So far, it has failed to deliver on its promises of a fully AI-powered Siri.
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Earlier this month, Apple announced that it was partnering with Google to use Gemini as the base model for its enhanced version of Siri. Having access to a reliable large language model in the form of Gemini could give Apple the software foundation it needs to build a new wearable AI product.
Even so, the device would represent something of a gamble. Whatever AI Pin Apple is rumored to be working on will need to overcome the shortcomings of these early devices, and that’s a real risk.
Apple is best known for its cautious, iterative approach to product development. The last time it went out on a limb with an entirely new category, it produced the Vision Pro, an expensive AR headset that few people were really asking for, and that few ultimately wanted. While the Vision Pro is still being developed and sold, it’s fair to say it hasn’t been a success so far.
That said, the fact that someone as serious as iPhone designer Jony Ive is involved in OpenAI’s wearable AI ambitions suggests the market could exist for devices like this in the future, but Apple is going to have to do a lot to convince me I want this.
Apple may well be able to build a better AI Pin than anyone else, but that doesn’t automatically mean people will want one. Until wearable AI can clearly replace something we already rely on, rather than awkwardly sit alongside it, devices like this risk feeling like solutions in search of a problem. And after Vision Pro, Apple may find consumers are less willing to take that leap of faith.
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Graham BarlowSocial Links NavigationSenior Editor, AIGraham is the Senior Editor for AI at TechRadar. With over 25 years of experience in both online and print journalism, Graham has worked for various market-leading tech brands including Computeractive, PC Pro, iMore, MacFormat, Mac|Life, Maximum PC, and more. He specializes in reporting on everything to do with AI and has appeared on BBC TV shows like BBC One Breakfast and on Radio 4 commenting on the latest trends in tech. Graham has an honors degree in Computer Science and spends his spare time podcasting and blogging.
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