Apple's camera-equipped AirPods spotted in new leak
What's the story
Apple is said to be working on a new pair of AirPods, this time with an integrated camera. A fresh leak has given us a glimpse into how these innovative earbuds could work. The video was discovered by MacRumors in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate and shows a demonstration of Apple's yet-to-be-released camera-equipped AirPods.
Functionality
How the camera in AirPods will work
The video shows a person holding up a book so that the camera can read its title.
The narrator explains how Visual Intelligence could be used to identify something in your environment and save it for later.
This suggests that the cameras would work with Visual Intelligence, letting Siri interpret what you're looking at and answer questions about things or information around you.
Purpose
Other features of the new AirPods
The leak suggests that the cameras are likely to be used for Visual Intelligence, not as regular photo or video cameras. You may even ask Siri AI about your surroundings.
Another part of the demo shows users could get a warning if their hair is covering the AirPods, indicating that these devices will need an unobstructed view for optimal performance.
Development
The development of new AirPods
The new AirPods, codenamed B790, have been in development for about four years.
The macOS Tahoe 26.7 release features several references to the B790 product and a long list of unreleased Apple devices.
Along with this project, Apple is also said to be working on another camera AirPods project under the codename B798.
Expectations
When will Apple launch the new AirPods?
Apple is expected to launch the camera AirPods by the end of this year, possibly at its September event.
The company has yet to confirm anything, but if the leaks are accurate, we could see these innovative devices at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro series and iPhone Fold.
The camera-equipped AirPods will likely be priced higher than current models like AirPods Pro 3.
Twitter Post
Take a look at upcoming AirPods with cameras
Here is your first look at AirPods with Cameras in action using Visual Intelligence.
— Aaron (@aaronp613) August 18, 2026
This video file came from macOS 26.7 RC pic.twitter.com/yo7RI4MCeu