- Not to take photos or videos: it is an extra input for the AI
- Meta is reportedly not happy with the progress so far
- Samsung’s plans remain largely secret
Apple isn’t the only company considering putting cameras in its headphones, though it’s probably closer than most: As we reported last year, Apple has been experimenting with IR cameras in AirPods and apparently plans to use them to help inform the public. AI and offer the audio equivalent of smart glasses.
A new report says that Apple is not the only company that wants to pioneer eye-to-ear. Meta and Samsung are also apparently looking at people’s ears, but the path to in-ear cameras has proven to be a bit rocky.
Ear we go, ear we go, ear we go
The report, from Bloomberg, details the efforts of Apple’s headphone rivals. Meta’s system appears to have the same goal as Apple’s (not taking photos or recording videos, but analyzing the world around you and providing information to AI assistants) and “would allow users to look at an object and ask the headphones that analyze the item”, very similar to what Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses do. However, such devices are still at least a few years away from being produced.
Meta has encountered several problems, which presumably Apple has also encountered. The report says there have been issues with people having long hair and Meta is apparently dissatisfied with the camera angles of the devices currently called “Camera Buds.”
As for Samsung, those legendary leakers “knowledgeable people” say the firm is also considering a version of headphones with cameras inside. However, so far there are no details on how far along the project is, or if it has even started.
Cameras in headsets make a lot of sense as an alternative to the idea of smart AR glasses, because there will be a big hurdle in getting people who don’t normally wear glasses to put them on. But many of us use a pair of the best headphones when we’re out and about, and they might be a better solution to the question of what kind of camera people would actually use. But as mentioned above, they bring their own problems, ranging from hair to hats.
Is there an option to simply not have cameras providing information to your phone’s AI? That seems to be Plan Z…
