Apple’s Camera-Equipped AirPods Just Appeared in Leaked Marketing Video

Apple seems to be inching closer to introducing AirPods with integrated cameras, as hinted at by a leaked marketing video and references found in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate. This discovery is significant, as rumors had previously suggested development on this project had stalled. However, recent reports point to Apple actually working on at least two distinct versions of camera-equipped AirPods, indicating the features showcased in the macOS demo may belong to a different, possibly more advanced, project.

A short demonstration video reveals a person wearing AirPods while holding a book. Through the use of Apple's Visual Intelligence technology, the feature appears to recognize what the wearer is looking at, allowing that information to be saved for later. The idea behind this is to give Siri eyes, enabling it to access the user's surroundings without needing to pull out an iPhone and point its camera at the object.

It is believed that these cameras will primarily serve AI and Visual Intelligence purposes, rather than traditional photography or video recording.

Siri could potentially identify objects, provide information about the environment, and remember what the user sees. A video file from macOS 26.7 showcased Apple's AirPods with cameras in action using Visual Intelligence. The software contained direct references to a codenamed B790 device, which included code for starting an image stream from the left earbud, and setup references for using Visual Intelligence with AirPods.

Additionally, a warning message suggested that users should not cover the AirPods, as hair or clothing could obstruct the cameras.

The situation is more complex than previously thought. While a camera-equipped AirPods model, codenamed B798, was initially expected for 2026, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is also developing a second project, codenamed B790. The B790 version is further along and may even be released before the end of 2026. This discrepancy means that earlier reports of Apple cancelling or delaying its camera AirPods could actually refer to the B798 project.