• New devices use visual AI to understand surroundings better
• Wearable tech offers guidance and real-time feedback

Apple is preparing to enter a new phase of technology focused on visual intelligence, aiming to enable devices to perceive the world around users in a way that mimics human vision.

Recent indicators suggest the company is developing technologies that go beyond smartphones to become a central part of users’ daily experience.

According to a report by Mark Gurman in Bloomberg, Apple is concentrating on an entirely new category that relies on visual AI, a type of artificial intelligence capable of interpreting environments and context around the user.

Early glimpses of this technology appeared in the iPhone 16 Pro, where users can photograph an object and ask questions about it. The main goal, however, is to make this technology the centerpiece of a new line of wearable devices.

Apple is exploring multiple ways to integrate this technology into daily life, including more advanced AirPods that assist with navigation, smart glasses that display signs and cues in front of the user, and a neck-worn device using cameras and other tech to act as a second “eye.”

This approach aims to provide a higher level of real-time assistance, offering precise instructions like “Turn left after this store” instead of traditional directions, and even recognizing meal components or reminding users of mail when near the mailbox.

Analysts note that Apple is using these technologies to reduce constant dependence on phone screens, making cameras and AI capabilities available on wearable devices.

This move comes amid competition from other companies that have released similar smart devices, though they have not achieved widespread success, largely because they attempted to replace users’ existing smartphones rather than complement them.