Apple's all-seeing AirPods get a step closer to release – but do we really need cameras in our ears?

Later this year, all rumours and reports point towards a new Ultra era for Apple's product lines. That includes the iPhone, MacBook and, it seems, some new AirPods.

Those are the long-rumoured AirPods with cameras, and are said to include IR cameras to allow new Siri features. In essence, those are expected to build a picture of the environment around you, with previous rumours suggesting users could employ hand gestures similar to what you'd use to control a VR headset.

Now, a new report has shed more light onto how those might function. That comes from Bloomberg, and confirms that these cameras aren't meant to capture images or video footage.

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Instead, the suggestion is that most of the application will involve supercharging the output from AI platforms. For example, the user could be facing something and ask for details about it, similar to what they can currently do by uploading images to other platforms.

The report also delves into the potential security concerns from a device like this. The solution is similar to how smart glasses solve this issue, with a small LED light built in to signify that the cameras are feeding visual data to the cloud.

Crucially, this report also suggests that the aforementioned hand-gesture support isn't going to be part of the design here. That's at odds with previous reporting, and suggests that both the AirPods and the rumoured Apple Glasses will lack this functionality.

Even without that, this feels like a really compelling product. Sitting above the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods Ultra look set to open a door to a new format for the earbuds form.

Time will tell whether or not it catches on, but it's certainly refreshing to see Apple pushing the envelope. Hopefully these can garner a little more public appreciation than the Apple Vision Pro which came before them.