This Is Our First Look at Apple’s Alleged AirPods With Cameras.
For nearly two years, rumors have circulated that Apple plans to integrate cameras into a future AirPods model. While at first glance, this might seem like an attempt to transform the popular earbuds into something akin to smart glasses— with all the privacy concerns that entails —this doesn’t appear to be the case. Instead, if AirPods with cameras do appear, their lenses will likely be used by the Siri artificial intelligence to more effectively assist the user when the iPhone is out of range.
Essentially, your AirPods would become a new kind of AI device, with the same effect as pulling out your iPhone and opening Visual Intelligence or launching ChatGPT’s voice mode . Instead of pointing your iPhone’s camera at something in the real world and asking Siri about it, you could use the cameras in your AirPods. This would make Siri more like the intelligent assistants depicted in the movie Her —for better or worse, whether you think that’s a good thing or not.
It looks like AirPods with artificial intelligence and cameras are just around the corner.
While we won’t know for sure whether a “see AirPods” feature is in development until Apple officially announces it, this latest discovery seems to confirm its existence. While browsing the macOS 26.7 release candidate, MacRumors discovered a video file that appears to demonstrate AirPods using visual intelligence. In the video, a man holds up Nick Foster’s book , “Could Should Might Don’t: How We Think About the Future,” while a voiceover says, “With visual intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later.” The video can be viewed pinned to the following post on X:
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MacRumors also found a mention of a user-configurable “Visual Intelligence” feature on these camera-equipped AirPods. If something, such as your hair, obscures the camera on your AirPods, you may receive the following message: “To get the most accurate information about your surroundings, make sure your AirPods aren’t obscured.” Apple is reportedly internally referring to the upcoming camera-equipped AirPods as the “B790.” MacRumors claims that the macOS 26.7 release candidate contains numerous references to the B790, indicating an imminent launch.
It’s not just about AirPods.
In this context, “B790” isn’t the only codename mentioned in macOS 26.7. According to MacRumors , this Release Candidate mentions a variety of unreleased devices, including Apple’s long-discussed “Home Hub,” “Pebble” (Apple’s upcoming HomeOS operating system), iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Ultra (Apple’s foldable smartphone), iPhone Air 2, MacBook Pro M6, and AirPods Pro 4. Codenames for updated devices are also mentioned without much context, such as the new iMac, MacBook Pro, iPad mini, and Beats.
It’s a long list, and while none of these devices have been confirmed, it suggests Apple is gearing up for a major release schedule this year. Apple may indeed enter the smart home market with its own hub and operating system, as well as possibly peripherals and accessories like security cameras. Again, we’ll have to wait until next month to see what Apple announces, and even then, the company may take longer to unveil future products.