Apple accidentally reveals video of AirPods with a camera
A video discovered in a new macOS version confirms Apple is developing AirPods with cameras. The device will utilize Visual Intelligence to analyze the user's surroundings.
About two years ago, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the most accurate sources regarding Apple, revealed that the company is developing a new model of its popular AirPods headphones equipped with cameras. Now, Apple is revealing them for the first time, albeit unintentionally, shortly before their official launch event.
13 seconds that Apple somehow missed
A video, discovered by users digging through one of the new macOS versions, reveals something Apple never confirmed: its new AirPods with cameras. The 13-second clip shows a person wearing AirPods picking up a book. In the background, the voice of AI Siri, the brain inside the new AirPods, is heard saying:
"With Visual Intelligence… if you see something you like – ask me and I will save it for you for later."
The video appeared, surprisingly, in the RC (Release Candidate) version of macOS 26.7 and was first published on the MacRumors website.
The new cameras in Apple's headphones are not intended for taking pictures, but for utilizing AI—specifically the Visual Intelligence feature that Apple already offers through the iPhone camera—to provide more information about the things around you.
According to the report, the AirPods with cameras do not perform well with long hair, which may obstruct the lenses. The system requires users to keep the area clear: "To get the most accurate information about your environment, make sure the AirPods are not covered." If something hides the camera, the headphones will alert the user.
Earlier this month, Mark Gurman reported that Apple is preparing to launch the new AirPods with Visual Intelligence soon, following years of development. Gurman noted that Apple might launch the headphones as early as next month as part of the annual iPhone event, where the company is also expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone. Reports suggest the launch is imminent, citing references to the internal codename B790 and hardware that includes cameras on both sides of the user's head.
