Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sat for an interview with WIRED , and dished out on Apple’s focus in the foreseeable future. Health and wellness stood out as a recurring element. AirPods, which recently landed a hearing assistance facility , are visibly at the center of those ambitions. Now, Bloomberg reports that the earbuds soon add cameras and health sensors to their arsenal. At one point in time, Apple was reportedly working on integrating cameras into the wireless earbuds, but the project was put on cold ice. It seems that the recent explosion of AI-based workflows across nearly every product category inspired Apple to revive the endeavor. “With the company rallying around AI and its Apple Intelligence platform, the project was brought back to life,” notes the Bloomberg report. Notably, Apple has tasked teams to work on it as a priority project, though it might take a couple of years to materialize. Even though it sounds like yet another “first” from Apples, the idea of cameras on audio gear is not exactly a novel concept. Moreover, Apple won’t be the only player in the game, and might even lose the race to fellow wearable and AI enthusiast, Meta. According to The Information , Meta is also working on earbuds with onboard cameras. Meta’s implementation, which is reportedly in development under the “CameraBuds” codename, will embrace generative AI chops for facilities like language translation and object identification. There is already plenty of precedent for such facilities. Earlier this month, the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses received an update that introduced capabilities like Live AI, translation, and Shazam-powered music identification . Live AI is particularly impressive, as it relies on AI for making sense of the world as it appears within the onboard cameras’ view. Apple already has such facilities ready for deployment in its software-hardware ecosystem. Take for example Visual Intelligence , which only requires users to point their camera and perform tasks such as translation, extract text information, look up details about businesses, and even launch a Google Search. Health sensing is the next avenue for AirPods In addition to putting a camera on the AirPods, Apple is reportedly working on adding biosensors into the mix. The priority is to somehow fit a heart rate sensor on the earbuds, but down the road, the company is hoping the earbuds can also measure temperature levels and keep an eye on physical activity patterns. Once again, those ideas are not wildly ambitious. Far from it, actually. The Sennheiser Momentum Sport and Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 earbuds can already measure the heart rate, though their accuracy has been up for debate. The scientific community, however, seems pretty bullish on the whole idea. In a paper presented at the 2009 International Symposium on Wearable Computers, experts from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology detailed a “heartphone” prototype that integrated a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor in the earbuds. The device was rated as highly reliable and only resulted in an error rate of 0.63% during tests. A separate research note from the MIT Media Lab described a system that measures bilateral blood volume pulse (BVP). “The system fits inside ordinary earbuds to provide measurements such as heart rate and beat-to-beat changes in heart rate variability (HRV),” says the paper. Another paper describes how “EarPPG” can actually be used for identity verification, as well. “A new biometric modality that takes advantage of the unique in-ear photoplethysmography (PPG) signals, altered by a user’s unique speaking behaviors,” says the research paper. Apple is considered one of the wearable health pioneers, and the company certainly has the engineering acumen to pull off heart rate tracking (and camera vision) on the AirPods. It’s only a matter of time before the company perfects the formula, but the ambition is definitely there, right at the summit, even. “It’s clear to me that if you zoom out way into the future, and you look back and ask what Apple’s biggest contribution was, it will be in the health area,” Apple chief Cook told WIRED veteran Steven Levy in the interview. “That’s what I really believe.” We just might have to wait a couple of years, or even more, for the aforementioned health and camera capabilities to appear on the AirPods.Crypto Bulls Set Eyes on $140K Bitcoin as Solana & FLOKI Dominate Charts Lightchain AI Crosses $2 Million in Presale
Michigan, Ohio State fight broken up with police pepper spray after Wolverines stun Buckeyes 13-10 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 as Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag and were met by Buckeyes who confronted them. Police had to use pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves in the melee that overshadowed the rivalry game on Saturday. Ohio State police said in a statement “multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan deployed pepper spray.” Ohio State police will investigate the fight. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he understood the actions of his players. Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said everybody needs to do better. Sellers' 20-yard TD run with 1:08 to go lifts No. 16 South Carolina to 17-14 win over No. 12 Clemson CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — LaNorris Sellers' 20-yard TD run with 1:08 to play lifted No. 16 South Carolina to a 17-14 victory over No. 12 Clemson. The Gamecocks won their sixth straight game, including four over ranked opponents, and may have played themselves into the College Football Playoff's 12-team field. They wouldn't have done it without Sellers, who spun away from a defender in the backfield, broke through the line and cut left on his way to the winning score. Sellers rushed for 166 yards and threw for 164 in South Carolina's second straight win at Clemson. Gus Malzahn is leaving UCF to become Florida State's offensive coordinator, AP source says Gus Malzahn is resigning as Central Florida’s head coach to become Florida State’s offensive coordinator. That's according to a person familiar with the hire who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the Seminoles have not confirmed Malzahn’s move, which is pending a background check. The Knights made official that Malzahn is leaving in a statement released a day after UCF concluded its season with a 28-14 loss to Utah. Malzahn finished with a 28-24 mark in four years at UCF, the last two ending with losing records. He coached at Auburn for eight seasons before being fired in 2020. Mikaela Shiffrin suffers abrasion on hip during crash on final run of World Cup giant slalom KILLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — American skier Mikaela Shiffrin says she suffered an abrasion on her left hip when crashing during her second run of a World Cup giant slalom race. Shiffrin was going for her 100th World Cup win when she crashed, did a flip and slid into the protective fencing. The 29-year-old was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd before going to a clinic for evaluation. She said later in a video posted on social media that there wasn't “too much cause for concern at this point.” She plans to skip the slalom race Sunday, writing on Instagram she will be “cheering from the sideline.” Andrew Luck returns to Stanford as the GM of the football program STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Andrew Luck is returning to Stanford in hopes of turning around a struggling football program that he once helped become a national power. Athletic director Bernard Muir announced that Luck has been hired as the general manager of the Stanford football team and tasked with overseeing all aspects of the program that just finished its fourth straight 3-9 season. Luck will work with coach Troy Taylor on recruiting and roster management, and with athletic department and university leadership on fundraising, alumni relations, sponsorships, student-athlete support and stadium experience. Luck has kept a low profile since his surprise retirement from the NFL at age 29 in 2019. Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose Arsenal was inspired by Bukayo Saka in scoring five goals in a wild first half before settling for a 5-2 win over West Ham that lifted the team into second place in the Premier League. Arsenal is attempting to chase down Liverpool and is now six points behind the leader. Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium and also had a hand in three goals, by Gabriel, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard. Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep Leicester in the league. Leicester was beaten at Brentford 4-1 in front of Van Nistelrooy, who watched from the stands after being hired on Friday. Michigan upsets No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 for Wolverines' 4th straight win over bitter rival COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left and Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10, likely ending the Buckeyes’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten title game next week. Late in the game, Kalel Mullings broke away for a 27-yard run, setting up the Wolverines at Ohio State’s 17-yard line with two minutes remaining. The drive stalled at the 3, and Zvada came on for the chip shot. Ohio State got the ball back but couldn’t move it, with Will Howard throwing incomplete on fourth down to seal the Wolverines’ fourth straight win over their bitter rival. US and England women draw 0-0 in Emma Hayes' homecoming LONDON (AP) — Emma Hayes witnessed a dominant display from her players at a packed Wembley stadium, but the U.S. coach could not taste victory on her return to England. Hayes, who led the U.S. women team to the Olympic gold medal this summer after winning 14 major trophies at Chelsea, came back to her home country on Saturday for a friendly against England. The U.S had the best chances but the game ended in a goalless draw. Jared Porter acknowledges he sent inappropriate text message to reporter, leading Mets to fire him Jared Porter acknowledged he sent an inappropriate text message to a reporter while he was a Chicago Cubs executive in 2016, which led to the New York Mets firing him as general manager in 2021 after just 38 days. Porter made his first public comments on his firing during an episode of the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast released Friday. Porter was hired by the Mets on Dec. 13, 2020, and fired on Jan. 19, 2021, about nine hours after an ESPN report detailing that he sent sexually explicit, uninvited text messages and images to a female reporter. Norris defies orders to help Piastri and Verstappen loses the Qatar pole to Russell LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lando Norris ignored team orders as he handed his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri the win the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix in a one-two finish for the team. Norris started on pole position and kept the lead at the start as Piastri squeezed past the Mercedes of George Russell for second. Norris gave the lead to Piastri with the finish line in sight, paying back Piastri for gifting him a win in a sprint race in Brazil when Norris was still fighting Max Verstappen for the drivers’ title. Champion Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying but was penalized, elevating Russell to first on the grid.Getting 33% off three months of Game Pass is always fantastic, but the timing on this sale makes it truly exceptional – not only are this year's biggest shooters fresh on the catalogue, but you'll also get day-one access to two of Xbox's biggest upcoming games. You can snag three months of Game Pass Ultimate for just $27.99 at CDKeys right now – that's $14 off the usual price of $42.09 – while Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl are still fresh on the service. But that's not all: those three months will cover the launch of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, set to release on December 9, and Obsidian's upcoming RPG Avowed in February. Throw in the rest of Game Pass' catalog, and this is one of the best Cyber Monday Xbox deals you'll find around. Three months of Game Pass Ultimate would set you back $60 when buying month-by-month through Microsoft and three months are still $50 at Amazon , so the value in this is pretty wild. It's up there with the best Cyber Monday gaming deals of the week, and I'd be surprised to see a better Game Pass deal emerge so late into the sale. Should you buy 3 months of Game Pass? If you can live without owning your games forever, three months of Game Pass is absolutely worth buying. The obvious drawback is that you only have the service's games for those months - which could be an issue if you end up sinking time into beefier games like Avowed - but from my experience, I tend to wrap up Game Pass titles with plenty of time to spare. Besides that, it really is a stacked few months in the world of Game Pass. Despite a rough launch, Stalker 2 is my favorite shooter of 2024 – which you can read more about in my Stalker 2 review – and Black Ops 6 continues to eat up my free time most evenings. Meanwhile, our Indiana Jones and the Great Circle preview and Avowed preview have left me buzzing for both launches. Indy could be ten hours of whipping vases and I'd be thrilled, while the mere thought of finally getting more of Obsidian's companion goodness – no, you've played too much New Vegas problem – fills me with joy. Some of the games are worth these three months alone, so if you don't mind having a limited amount of time with them (presuming you don't just renew Game Pass) then go for it. If you want your Xbox catalog fully decked-out, check out our best Cyber Monday gaming deals and Cyber Monday Xbox Series X deals .The most anticipated matchup of the weekend is set to take place on Jan. 1 between the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 1 Oregon Ducks in the iconic Rose Bowl Game, marking a rematch of their Week 7 showdown earlier this season. In that first meeting, Oregon emerged victorious 32-31 after a dramatic finish that many called the Game of the Year. The game featured numerous lead changes and outstanding performances from both teams, setting a high bar for college football excitement. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.
Apple is working on a new smart doorbell camera that will use Face ID technology to unlock doors, This is according to a report by Bloomberg, the device could be released by the end of 2025 and will bring Apple’s biometric security system to the front door, offering seamless access to users. The upcoming smart doorbell camera will function similarly to Face ID on Apple’s iPhones. Related Stories DR Congo files criminal case against Apple over alleged Illegal mineral exploitation Apple to introduce satellite communications to smartwatch by 2025 The device will automatically unlock the door when it detects the face of a resident, providing a secure and hands-free entry system. The camera will include Apple’s Secure Enclave chip, which will securely store and process Face ID data separately from the rest of the device’s hardware, ensuring user privacy and security. The new camera is expected to work with existing third-party HomeKit smart locks, allowing for easy integration into current smart home setups. Apple may also partner with a smart lock company to offer a complete system from the outset, providing users with a fully integrated security solution. This smart doorbell camera is part of Apple’s larger strategy to expand its footprint in the smart home market. The report also mentions that Apple is working on additional smart home devices, including a new security camera expected in 2026, and smart displays. These displays may include an iPad-like device that can magnetically attach to wall mounts or speaker bases, as well as a more advanced display mounted on a robotic arm. Apple is reportedly developing a new Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip called “Proxima,” which is expected to feature in upcoming devices like the HomePod Mini and Apple TV in 2025. This chip is expected to enhance connectivity and performance, supporting Apple’s broader vision for the smart home ecosystem. With these developments, Apple is positioning itself as a key player in the smart home market, offering secure, integrated solutions that enhance user convenience and privacy. Nairametrics reported that Apple is set to introduce satellite connectivity and blood pressure monitoring in its Apple Watch lineup by 2025. Satellite connectivity: The 2025 Apple Watch Ultra will feature satellite communication, allowing users to send messages without cellular or internet connections, especially in areas with no network coverage. This expands Apple’s emergency communication capabilities. Blood pressure monitoring: Apple is also working on a blood pressure monitoring feature, enabling users to track their cardiovascular health in real-time, a significant advancement in wearable health technology.