Leaked macOS footage reveals Apple’s camera-equipped AirPods in development
First visual evidence of the B790 model suggests a competitor to Meta’s smart glasses, with a potential launch alongside the iPhone 18 in September.
A demo video embedded within the macOS Tahoe 26.7 Release Candidate has provided the first visual evidence of Apple’s upcoming camera-equipped AirPods. The clip, identified by MacRumors and X user @aaronp613, demonstrates the hardware’s integration with Siri’s new 'Visual Intelligence' function, which processes low-resolution imagery to assist users with visual tasks.
The footage shows a user wearing the new earbuds holding up a book with the cover displayed, allowing the device to identify the title. A Siri voice-over accompanying the clip states, “with Visual Intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later.” This functionality aligns with previous reporting from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who noted the devices are designed to act as 'eyes' for Apple’s AI, potentially providing turn-by-turn directions or answering questions about the wearer’s surroundings.
The hardware appears to be a modified version of the AirPods Pro 3, featuring thicker bodies and longer stems to accommodate the cameras and potential LED indicators. Gurman had predicted these physical changes, along with LED lights to indicate data upload to the cloud. However, the leaked footage only shows the rear angle of the device, where no lights are visible.
Designed to capture low-resolution visual data for AI assistance rather than high-quality photography, the devices are positioned as competitors to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. Apple is also reportedly working on its own line of smart glasses, but this earbud iteration offers a distinct form factor that may exacerbate privacy concerns following the backlash against Meta’s ‘pervert glasses’.
The presence of the demo video in the macOS update suggests the hardware is nearing completion. An official announcement for the AirPods, codenamed B790, is anticipated for Apple’s iPhone 18 event in September, alongside an improved version of Siri. A separate camera-equipped variant, codenamed B798, is expected to arrive in 2027.
