Apple’s Camera-Equipped AirPods Leak in Official Software, Ready to Launch Within Weeks

Apple appears to have accidentally confirmed its long-rumored camera-equipped AirPods through its own software.

MacRumors has discovered a promotional demo video inside the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, the finalized software build Apple tests right before a public rollout.

The clip shows a man holding up a book for the AirPods’ camera to identify, while Siri AI explains that Visual Intelligence lets wearers save things they see by simply asking.

The leak supports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman report from May and points to a launch alongside Apple’s upcoming hardware launch this fall. 

A Feature Apple Built the Marketing For Before Announcing the Hardware

As MacRumors reports, the camera feeds directly into Visual Intelligence, letting Siri answer questions about a wearer’s surroundings and log information on request.

The clip also contains a practical detail that hints at real-world testing behind the polish: an alert warning users that if hair is covering the AirPods, they won’t get accurate readings, telling wearers to keep the earbuds uncovered. 

Finding this level of finished, voiced marketing material sitting inside a public release candidate is unusual for Apple. 

This is because Apple is a company known for guarding hardware reveals closely, and it suggests the launch is close enough that the video slipped through review before Apple meant to ship it.

Notably, this a near-term launch that runs parallel to its upcoming smart glasses featuring vertical oval camera modules. 

Two Different Codenames, and What That Might Mean

Engadget noted that the AirPods in this leak carry the internal codename B790, different from B798, another camera-equipped AirPods model Gurman reported in June that was planned for 2026 before slipping to 2027.

This suggests Apple may be developing two camera-equipped AirPods generations at the same time. 

B790 could be a near-term and possibly more limited version for September, while B798 continues development for a broader 2027 release.

If that reading holds, Apple may be doing here what it did with the original AirPods Pro line: shipping a first-generation product that establishes the category before a more refined successor follows, rather than waiting for the more ambitious version to be fully ready.

The Privacy Problem No Demo Video Can Script Around

What the leaked clip does not show may matter more than what it does. 

As Engadget notes, the cameras are not visible, and the AirPods look almost identical to the current AirPods Pro except for a slightly thicker stem. 

This means people nearby may have no clear way to know when the camera is active.

Gurman reported that Apple may add an indicator showing when the camera is in use, which Engadget called the bare minimum for a wearable that can capture bystanders without their consent. 

This is the same privacy concern Meta has faced with its camera glasses, prompting it to curb LED indicator tampering on smartglasses. 

While the feature may be useful to the wearer, it can also act as a surveillance device for people nearby, regardless of Apple’s Visual Intelligence marketing.

Source: Apple’s Camera-Equipped AirPods Confirmed: See Them in Action