Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared fresh details about Apple's hardware roadmap through 2027, including camera-equipped AirPods, a second-generation folding iPhone, and a special 20th anniversary model with a curved glass display. The camera AirPods, which Gurman previously reported on, are now on track for a late 2027 launch and are being internally tested alongside next year's iOS 28 update. The earbuds will reportedly feature cameras mounted in their stems, paired with indicator lights that activate when data is being uploaded to the cloud. The goal is to give an upgraded Siri "visual context" about the user's surroundings, serving as a stepping stone toward Apple's eventual smart glasses product.
On the folding phone front, Apple is preparing a second-generation foldable to follow the first model, which Gurman expects to debut this fall. The follow-up signals Apple's long-term commitment to the category, with the company presumably working to address common pain points in current foldables, like apps that don't properly adapt to larger inner displays and reduced battery capacity compared to standard flagship phones. The reference to current foldable compromises, including those seen on devices like Google's Pixel 10 Pro Fold, underscores how much work Apple still has to do to make its version compelling.
Gurman also detailed Apple's planned 20th anniversary iPhone, internally codenamed V73 and V74. The device will follow this year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with similar screen sizes, but introduce a "nearly edge-to-edge display, with curved glass that wraps around the sides." Interestingly, the standard iPhone 18 may not arrive until 2027, while the new anniversary hardware is expected to run on Apple's A20 series chip. Taken together, the roadmap points to an ambitious product cycle spanning AirPods with environmental awareness, refined foldable hardware, and a flagship iPhone designed to celebrate two decades of the device, all building toward a future where smart glasses become Apple's next major computing platform.