Here’s everything we learned about AirPods with cameras this week

This week, rumors surrounding Apple's upcoming camera-equipped AirPods Pro have been making waves. On Monday, a video from a macOS 26.7 beta surfaced, showcasing AirPods Pro with cameras. In the video, a person wearing the AirPods asks Siri to remember a book they saw using Visual Intelligence. The camera-equipped AirPods Pro appeared nearly identical to the existing AirPods Pro 3.

Additionally, the macOS 26.7 beta contained numerous code references to AirPods with cameras, providing more insight into their functionality. According to 9to5Mac, Apple will employ a new AccessorySensorMgrd framework to manage image capture and other aspects of the camera-equipped AirPods Pro. The code refers to the camera sensor as the "Kino Sensor."

Meanwhile, a MacRumors forum user uncovered details about the resolution of the AirPods Pro cameras. The active capture mode begins with a 640×640 capture, which is then processed into a 1024×1024 image—a resolution of approximately 0.4 megapixels for the captured image and about 1 megapixel for the output frame. There's also a lower-resolution passive capture mode with a 320×320 capture, which can output either 320×320 or 512×512, depending on the capture mode.

These resolutions are specific to the capture mode, and the physical sensor's native resolution may be larger. The passive mode is described as offering "environmental awareness." Due to the video and references in macOS 26.7, speculation quickly arose that the camera-equipped AirPods Pro would launch soon, possibly at Apple's next event alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra.

However, Bloomberg reported that this is not the case, and the AirPods with cameras are still on track for a 2027 launch. The report mentioned that there are two versions of this product being developed by Apple, but it remains unclear which version will be released. Regardless, the AirPods Pro cameras will not be capable of taking photos or videos.

Instead, their purpose is to "scan the surrounding environment and provide context to the Siri digital assistant and other AI tools."