Camera-equipped AirPods reportedly won’t launch in 2026, despite demo video leak
Bloomberg reports that despite Apple’s accidental inclusion of a demo video showcasing Visual Intelligence on AirPods, the product “remains on track for 2027.” Here are the details.
Despite a leaked demo video showing otherwise, Apple's camera-equipped AirPods are still set to launch in 2027, according to Bloomberg. The news comes after Apple inadvertently included a video featuring Visual Intelligence running on AirPods in macOS 26.7 Release Candidate. These devices were previously scheduled for a 2026 release but were pushed back to 2027.
Apple is also developing another version, code-named B790, which appears to be further along in development, with references to the product appearing in iOS 27 code and even being on Apple's internal road map for a debut as early as this year. This version of the device is a modified version of last year's AirPods Pro 3 with added sensors and AI.
Sources indicate that the B790 iteration is what was featured in the leaked video. The B798 version, on the other hand, is a new generation of AirPods Pro that also includes cameras. However, recent leaks have sparked controversy over privacy concerns, with some users criticizing the idea of AirPods with cameras. Despite this, the cameras are reportedly low-resolution sensors designed to scan the surrounding environment to provide context to Siri and other AI tools, which may help ease some of the criticism.
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