Kuo: Apple Planning Smart Home Camera and New AirPods With More Health Features

In a blog post today, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed two new products that Apple apparently plans to release in a few years from now, including a smart home camera and updated AirPods with more health management features.

homekit showdown redux
Kuo said mass production of Apple's smart home camera is scheduled to begin in 2026, and the company apparently aims to sell tens of millions of them over the long term. He said the camera will have wireless connectivity, and deep integration with Apple Intelligence and Siri, but he did not mention any other specific features.

Previous rumors have indicated that Apple is planning to release a smart home display, but that device is expected to launch as early as 2025, so it seems like the 2026 camera that Kuo has mentioned here is a different product.

As for the AirPods, Kuo simply said that future models of the earbuds will have "more health management features" like the Apple Watch, and that Chinese manufacturer Goertek will serve as the primary supplier of a 2026 AirPods model. The new smart home camera will also be assembled by Goertek, according to the analyst.

We previously reported that Apple's upcoming Powerbeats Pro 2 will offer heart rate monitoring during workouts, and perhaps that feature will extend to AirPods in the future. In addition, health-focused sensors that could allow for features like body temperature measuring have been rumored for AirPods in the past.

Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
iphone 17 pro concept render cameras

Major iPhone 17 Pro Redesign Backed by Supply Chain Info, Claims Leaker

Thursday December 12, 2024 4:36 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker. iPhone 17 Pro concept render Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro...
m4 mac mini hands on

Cloud-Based M4 and M4 Pro Mac Mini Models Now Available

Wednesday December 11, 2024 7:34 am PST by
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services. The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an...
macOS Sequoia Night Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.2 With New Apple Intelligence Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1. Mac users can download the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create...
macbook air m2 13 inch

macOS Sequoia 15.2 Confirms New M4 MacBook Air Models Are Coming

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:54 am PST by
Apple today made a mistake with its macOS Sequoia 15.2 update, releasing the software for two Macs that have yet to be launched. There is a software file for "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13," which are upcoming MacBook Air models. The leaked software references the "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)," confirming that new M4 MacBook Air models are in...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 With Genmoji, Image Playground, Siri ChatGPT and More

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Second Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...

Top Rated Comments

Muero Avatar
4 weeks ago

Fix HomeKit first. Got a new lifx bulb with HomeKit. Control center widget is buggy. Light goes offline (no response). Wall Light switch control takes a couple toggles.
Homekit seems super unreliable.
I think the biggest help here would be if Apple would bring back their AirPort line of Wi-Fi routers. Oftentimes, complaints about HomeKit are really complaints about flaky Wi-Fi.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
@Brett Avatar
4 weeks ago
Apple should have bought Nest instead of of letting Google run it into the ground. But if Apple is doing smart home cameras. Count me in. I will happily ditch the Nest stuff and get full fledged Homekit gear.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CapitalIdea Avatar
4 weeks ago

HomeKit cameras would be great, but I’ll hold my excitement until I see how high the Apple Tax is on them.
People: “Apple products cost too much! I’m tired of the greedy apple tax!”

Same people: “omg I can’t believe my discount electronic junk from some no-name company on Amazon barely worked and now is losing support after 2 months! I paid a good 20 dollars on that security system!”
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adammusic Avatar
4 weeks ago
Fix HomeKit first. Got a new lifx bulb with HomeKit. Control center widget is buggy. Light goes offline (no response). Wall Light switch control takes a couple toggles.
Homekit seems super unreliable.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
4 weeks ago
I hope I am wrong, but I suspect their smart home camera won't be what most of us wants -- doorbell camera and floodlight camera. Instead, I suspect it will likely be an indoor camera, perhaps with wheels.

I don't think Apple wants to deal with anything that requires that requires or demands a professional installation.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xizdun Avatar
4 weeks ago
Holy ****, this is big news. Can't wait to trash my non-functioning Logitech Circle HKSV cameras.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)