Apple AirPods with camera spotted in macOS update: First look at new AI-powered earbuds and what they do

Apple appears to be preparing a new version of its AirPods that could give Siri a better understanding of the world around you. A video hidden inside a recent macOS software release has offered the clearest look yet at the company's camera-equipped earbuds and how the feature could work.

AirPods camera feature spotted in macOS

The discovery was made in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, where a short demonstration video shows the new AirPods in action. In the clip, a man holds up a book so the camera on the earbuds can see its title. A voiceover then explains that Visual Intelligence can make things in your surroundings "savable" for later.

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The software also contains multiple references to the product's B790 codename, which had previously been reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. One of the references specifically points to setting up Visual Intelligence on the AirPods.

The leaked software also indicates that the earbuds need to remain uncovered for the feature to work accurately. Users could receive an alert if hair or another obstruction covers the AirPods, with Apple warning that this could affect how accurately they understand things in the environment.

What the cameras could do for you

The cameras are not being presented simply as a way to take photographs. Instead, they appear to be designed to provide visual information to Apple's Visual Intelligence system.

That information could then help Siri answer questions about what you are looking at or remember information from your surroundings. In the leaked demonstration, for instance, the system recognises the book being shown to the AirPods and allows it to be saved for later.

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This could make the earbuds more useful as an AI-powered wearable, allowing Siri to understand more about your surroundings without requiring you to constantly use your phone.

Could Apple launch them in September?

The B790 AirPods could reportedly arrive as soon as September, according to Gurman. That would put their potential launch alongside Apple's expected iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and foldable iPhone.

However, Apple has not officially announced the camera-equipped AirPods or confirmed a launch date. The B790 project is distinct from Apple's earlier B798 camera-equipped AirPods project, which has reportedly been pushed to 2027.