Tech Giants Explore Camera-Equipped Earbuds: A New Frontier in AI-Assisted Wearables

Samsung and Meta are looking into earbuds with cameras, following Apple's AirPods' lead

Apple isn't the only firm considering sticking cameras into your earbuds, although it's probably closer than most: as we reported last year, Apple has been experimenting with IR cameras in AirPods, and is apparently planning to use them to help inform AI and deliver the audio equivalent of smart glasses. A new report says that Apple isn't the only firm wanting to be an eye-in-ear pioneer. Meta and Samsung are apparently looking into people's ears too, but the path to in-ear cameras has proved to be a little tricky. The report, by Bloomberg, details the efforts of Apple's earbud rivals. Meta's system appears to have the same goal as Apple's one - not to take photos or record video, but to analyze the world around you and provide input to AI assistants - and "would let users look at an object and ask the earbuds to analyze the item", much like Meta's Ray-Ban glasses do. However, such devices are at least a few years away. Meta has encountered several issues, which presumably Apple has encountered too. The report says that there have been issues with people who have long hair, and Meta is apparently unsatisfied with the camera angles of the devices currently named "Camera Buds". As for Samsung, those legendary leakers "people with knowledge of the matter" say that the firm is also considering a version of earbuds with cameras inside. However as yet there's no detail of how advanced that project is, or if it's even begun. Cameras on earbuds make a lot of sense as an alternative to the idea of smart AR glasses, because there will be a big hurdle to get people who don't wear glasses normally to put them on. But so many of us wear a pair of the best earbuds when out and about that they might be a better solution to the question of what kind of camera people would really wear. But as mentioned above, they bring their own troubles, ranging from hair to hats. Is there an option to simply not have cameras feeding information to your phone's AI? That seems to be Plan Z...

Samsung and Meta are reportedly thinking about putting cameras in earbuds -- I don't know why

Who needs smart glasses, when you can have cameras in your earbuds "Feature creep" is defined on Wikipedia as "excessive ongoing expansion or addition of new features in a product." It goes on to demonstrate the problems, as "these extra features go beyond the basic function of the product and can result in software bloat and over-complication, rather than simple design." It's something I see all the time in the best wireless earbuds and the best wireless headphones. Screens on charging cases, extra sensors, additions to apps -- the list can, and does, go on. There now seems to be a new form of feature creep coming to Samsung earbuds, as the company is reportedly thinking about adding cameras to its earbuds -- at the behest of absolutely no one. According to a new report from Bloomberg, Meta, Apple, and even Samsung are considering putting cameras in your next pair of earbuds. Meta is the most notable example, apparently "creating prototypes of an AirPods rival with built-in cameras that can see the outside world and take action using AI." Gurman goes on to say that it will be a couple of years until we see them (if they launch at all), but there is bizarre intent there. Think the Ray-Ban meta collab, only they live in your ears and play Bon Jovi. Beyond Meta, Apple and Samsung are reportedly looking at how to fit cameras in their buds -- although implementation is early, and there are significant chances development will be canceled, on account of issues that some users might face. Like long hair getting in the way. Or people with weird-shaped ears. Sorry, rugby players or boxers with cauliflower ears -- no camera buds for you. Personally? I can't think of any good reason that I might want to put cameras in my earbuds. I get annoyed enough as it is whenever I accidentally skip a track thanks to overly sensitive touch controls, so I don't think I'm going to enjoy an AI voice telling me all about my surroundings and then getting cut off when my hair falls in just the wrong way. Look, earbuds are small, and they already have a great deal of stuff going on in their tiny shells. Why put more extraneous tech inside the buds, when you could be fitting bigger or more efficient battery tech, or even better audio hardware instead? I remain skeptical of 'innovation' in the wireless earbuds space, and will remain so until I get them in my hands. Will testing them be enough to calm my feelings and bring me on side? I suspect not, but I'll remain open-minded.