Apple's Future Hardware Rumors: Camera AirPods, Foldable Phones, and New iPhones

Now that we’re clear of WWDC and all of the AI-powered features coming to Apple’s platforms, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has more details about rumored new hardware like the camera-equipped AirPods he’d previously written about. He says they are currently on schedule for a late 2027 launch, and that while we’re checking out beta releases for this fall’s iOS 27 update, the new earbuds are internally being tested with next year’s update, iOS 28.

With cameras mounted in their stems and lights to indicate when data is being uploaded to the cloud, they could give the upgraded version of Siri “visual context” about your surroundings, before Apple eventually releases its first pair of smart glasses.

Also mentioned is a second-generation foldable phone to follow the model that he says we can expect to see this fall, as an indication that Apple will be committed to the new product category and, hopefully, find even better ways to take advantage of the extra screens than we’ve seen in the category so far. I like my Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but between apps that fail to adjust for the bigger screen and a smaller battery than the largest standard Pixel 10, it adds a lot of compromises and a hefty price.

Gurman also mentioned the long-rumored “20th anniversary” iPhone, dubbed V73 and V74, which he says will follow this year’s iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max offering similar sizes, but adding a “nearly edge-to-edge display, with curved glass that wraps around the sides.”

Meanwhile, the standard iPhone 18 may not launch until next year, while running on an A20 series chip similar to phones planned for release this fall, before the other 2027 phones jump to a 2nm A21 chip, with plans to shift to 1.4nm technology for the A22 Pro, with Apple “considering” using Intel to handle some production along with its usual source, TSMC.

This seems to line up with the rumors of the last few years that previewed the arrival of the skinny iPhone Air. But with John Ternus taking over as Apple’s CEO, a RAM and component shortage looming over everything, and AI everywhere, even solidly rumored plans could change.