Apple camera AirPods could launch soon: macOS Tahoe reveals Visual Intelligence demo

Apple’s rumoured camera-equipped AirPods may be closer to launch than expected. A demo video discovered in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate appears to show the earbuds using Apple’s Visual Intelligence to understand what the wearer is looking at.

The video, first spotted by MacRumors, shows a man wearing the unreleased AirPods while holding up a book. A Siri voice-over says: “With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later.”

The discovery has fuelled speculation that Apple could unveil the camera-equipped AirPods in September, potentially alongside its next-generation iPhones.


How will Apple’s camera AirPods work?

The AirPods appear to use cameras to capture visual information and feed it to Visual Intelligence. This could allow Siri to answer questions about the user's surroundings or remember information they see.

Also Read: AirPods with camera? Learn about Apple's plan with their audio wearable

A warning in the software also reportedly tells users to ensure their AirPods are not covered by hair for the “most accurate information” about their environment.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously reported that the cameras will capture low-resolution visual information, effectively giving Apple’s AI a set of “eyes”.

Apple B790 AirPods spotted in macOS Tahoe

The camera-equipped AirPods are reportedly being developed under the codename B790. References to B790 have appeared in macOS Tahoe 26.7, including code related to an “image stream”.

The earbuds shown in the demo look similar to the current AirPods Pro, although the stems appear thicker. Gurman has previously suggested that longer stems could accommodate the cameras.

Apple is reportedly also working on another camera-equipped AirPods model, codenamed B798, which could arrive in 2027.

Camera AirPods could launch with iPhone 18

Gurman has suggested that B790 could launch as early as September. That would put the product on track to debut alongside Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and foldable iPhone Ultra.

Also Read: iPhone 18 Pro release date: When will Apple launch it? Check expected date, features and price

The timing could also coincide with Apple’s long-awaited upgraded Siri, giving the company an opportunity to showcase how its AI features work across its devices.

Apple AirPods could take on AI wearables

Camera-equipped AirPods would bring Apple into closer competition with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, which already use cameras and AI to understand users’ surroundings.

However, Apple's approach could raise privacy concerns of its own. While the cameras are reportedly not designed to take photos or videos, their discreet placement on earbuds could raise questions about when visual data is being captured.

Apple has yet to confirm the camera-equipped AirPods, but the appearance of a Visual Intelligence demo in a macOS release candidate suggests the product could be nearing its official debut.