Chinese analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared an update on Project 'B798' – a variation of the AirPods headphones with a built-in camera. The headphones will have an IR camera similar to the Face ID sensor in the iPhone, and this could be used with Apple Vision Pro, among others, to improve the user's tracking in space.
・For example, when a user watches video with the Vision Pro, but listens to audio in AirPods with IR sensors – when turning their head, the audio source will move in the same direction within the space that is projected to them. This would be some new variation of the Spatial Audio feature, at a more advanced level. Also, IR sensors in the headphones could give the functionality of gesture control in the air, the company also has a patent for such a thing.
・The supplier of components for such AirPods is Foxconn, Apple's longtime partner. The companies are discussing supplying 18 to 20 million IR sensors by 2026, which is 9 to 10 million pairs of AirPods. It is not yet known exactly what model it will be.