Apple's counterpart: Development underway, launch no earlier than 2027 Apfelpatient

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Apple is continuing work on a camera-equipped pendant—a wearable the size of an AirTag—that aims to enable AI features without glasses and without constantly reaching for your iPhone. The term "pendant" originates from supply chain reports and currently only describes the device category, not the final product name. Development is behind that of the camera-equipped AirPods, and a market launch is realistic no earlier than 2027.

Apple's Pendant project is one of the most unusual ventures in the company's current roadmap – and at the same time one of the least tangible. In his latest report, Mark Gurman at Bloomberg has confirmed that development is continuing. It thus joins a series of new product categories that Apple is working on in parallel and that are set to take the company into entirely new fields in the coming years. While the camera-equipped AirPods have already entered an advanced testing phase, the Pendant is still considerably further away from a market launch.

What the Pendant is supposed to be

The Pendant is conceived as a small wearable about the size of an AirTag, designed to be clipped onto clothing or worn as a pendant on a chain or cord. Its central function lies in an always-on camera combined with a microphone for Siri voice commands. A display or laser projector is not planned – the device is therefore deliberately kept minimal and built around audio output via Siri.

Apple is reportedly planning a dedicated chip for the Pendant, but its performance is limited. A large portion of the processing would therefore run on a paired iPhone – which keeps the Pendant an iPhone accessory rather than a standalone smart device. This decision sets it clearly apart from the failed Humane AI Pin, which was designed as a standalone product and ultimately fell short precisely because of that complexity. Whether Apple will additionally equip the Pendant with a speaker has apparently not yet been decided internally.

Where the Pendant fits into Apple's AI strategy

The wearable is part of a three-pronged AI strategy. The first step is to be taken by the AirPods with cameras, positioned as Apple's first true AI wearable – they are already in an advanced validation stage. The second step will follow with the smart Apple Glasses, whose market launch is expected in late 2026 or early 2027. The Pendant will come only after that – no earlier than 2027.

The three devices share a common idea: Apple is spreading its AI wearable strategy across different form factors because a single device can hardly reach every user group. Those willing to accept glasses get a full visual computing device with the Apple Glasses. Those who already wear AirPods receive AI functions there practically invisibly. And those who want neither glasses nor cameras on their head could get a third option with the Pendant – worn on the body, but outside the field of view.

Where caution is warranted in interpreting the reports

The current report is at the same time a reminder of how early this project still is. The first reports on the Pendant came from The Information in January; internally at Apple, the device remains in an early stage of development. Both sources explicitly note that the project could still be cancelled. Apple's roadmap knows several examples in which concept devices matured internally but never reached the market – especially with new categories, that possibility is always on the table.

On top of that comes Apple's typical approach to first-of-its-kind products. The company regularly lets complex new devices mature longer rather than releasing them too early. The Pendant would thus continue a pattern already visible with the Vision Pro and the Apple Glasses: release only once both hardware and software are truly convincing.

What significance the report carries

The real takeaway from the current report lies less in new details than in the confirmation that the Pendant remains on Apple's roadmap. The project has not been abandoned, but lined up – behind the AirPods with cameras and alongside the Apple Glasses. This makes it visible how consistently Apple is building out its AI wearable pipeline: three products with different usage patterns, all closely tied to iPhone and Siri.

For the coming months, this means above all one thing: anyone expecting the Pendant in the short term will be disappointed. Anyone keeping the bigger picture in mind sees a strategy built around devices that are developed in parallel and staggered both technically and in time. Which of these three bets will pay off remains open – most likely all three will coexist, each serving a different audience.

Apple's AI wearable plan shows clear contours

With the confirmation that the Pendant remains in development, the picture of the three parallel AI wearable projects falls into place. The camera-equipped AirPods are the inconspicuous variant, the Apple Glasses the most ambitious, and the Pendant the most minimal approach. Should all three devices reach the market, Apple would have a remarkably broad AI hardware base – built on top of an iPhone that, in any case, remains the central computing unit. (Image: Shutterstock / Wachiwit)