AirPods were launched by Apple at the end of 2016, since then the headphones have had several versions, all of which brought their share of new features.
But the Apple brand could reach an important milestone in 2026. At least that’s what financial analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, an expert at the Cupertino company, suggests.
According to the latest post on social media site Medium, Apple may add infrared cameras to its AirPods in the coming years. This new feature should improve the user experience, especially when using Vision Pro.
AirPods to the rescue for Vision Pro
In particular, the presence of these cameras, which would technically be very similar to those present on our iPhones with Face ID, should improve surround sound. Infrared cameras will be able to detect the movements of the user’s head with greater precision.
If we take the example of a person watching a video with the Apple Vision Pro device facing them, if they turn their head to the right or left, the sound experience will be different, as it would be in real life with the speakers on your TV for example.
This 3D and live representation of the sound environment is already present on the latest AirPodsbut the arrival of infrared cameras should greatly help Apple in the development of this technology.
Foxconn will produce AirPods Pro from 2026
When it comes to Apple’s product line, it’s a company Foxconn, one of the main subcontractors of the Apple brand, which will be responsible for the production of these infrared cameras for Air Pods.
According to information from Ming-Chi Kuo, the Taiwanese manufacturer is preparing to produce 10 million pairs of AirPods in the coming months.
This functionality should logically be found first on the Air Pods Pro device.
Apple’s higher-end headphones already benefit from deeper integration with Vision Pro, so it would make sense for them to get this feature.
The integration of infrared cameras into the headphones could still have a significant impact on the price of these headphones. Indeed, such a precise and technical sensor has its price.
Apple could therefore significantly increase the price of its Air Pods Pro in the coming years with the arrival of this new technology.