Apple’s Quiet Bet on a Wearable AI Pin That Clips On and Listens

Photo credit: Sarang Sheth / Yanko Design
Apple is working on a new wearable, and it isn’t another smartwatch. According to sources close to the project, they are working on a tiny, round pin about the size of an AirTag that you can clip onto your clothes or a bag, which is not a bad concept at a time when comparable ideas from other companies have yet to gain traction.

Apple engineers are essentially developing a flat disc with a sleek aluminum and glass casing. There are two cameras on the front, a standard one and a wide angle one, which will allow you to take photos, videos, or simply keep an eye on what is happening around you. On the edge of this disc, there are three microphones to capture sound from all sides, as well as a tiny miniature speaker to output it at the other end. There’s a single button on the side that allows you to operate everything directly from the device, and the rear charges via magnets similar to the Apple Watch.

This setup has all the makings of a personal assistant that can keep track of what’s going on around you without requiring you to continuously check your phone. The majority of the interaction would take place via voice commands, with responses delivered through speech. The cameras and microphones suggest to something more useful than simply answering queries, as the device may be able to gain an understanding of what’s going on by seeing and hearing what’s around it. As for what it can actually accomplish, it is still unknown, but the hardware points to Apple’s plans to make Siri much more conversational with the iOS 27 upgrade. They’ve also reached an agreement with Google to do some of the difficult tasks required to make this all happen.

As for where they are with this project, it’s still in its early stages. Apple purportedly aims to bring this to market as soon as possible, possibly in 2027. They believe they can produce approximately 20 million units if it makes it off the assembly line. The only thing they haven’t decided on yet is how to connect it to your clothes, which will be either a clip or a magnetic hold. The present prototypes are slightly thicker than an AirTag due to the extra parts inside, but this is just a starting point; they hope to eventually reduce it to the same size as the AirTag.
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