Apple appears to be getting closer to launching its camera-equipped AirPods. Code in the iOS 27 beta references an unreleased model, internally known as B790.
Rather than taking pictures, the cameras would give Siri visual awareness, letting it recognize objects, read signs, and answer questions about whatever you’re looking at.
If current plans hold, the new AirPods could debut before the end of 2026.
Two Models Are Reportedly in Development
Apple has at least two camera AirPods variants in development. The more capable model, coded B798, was originally planned for early 2026 but moved to late 2027 after Apple determined that its upgraded version of Siri was not ready to power the hardware.
The B790 appears to be a separate, less advanced version that Apple may release first as an entry point into the platform.
If B798 arrives in late 2027, Apple’s internal roadmap currently places it alongside the 20th anniversary iPhone and a next-generation foldable device.
B790, by contrast, would arrive much sooner and would likely represent an earlier, more limited version of the experience Apple originally designed B798 to deliver.
They Look Similar to AirPods Pro
The earbuds look a lot like AirPods Pro but with longer stems to fit the camera hardware. An LED on the device lights up when data is being sent to Apple’s servers, a design choice that signals when Siri is actively processing visual information.
Apple has not settled on a name internally. But both “AirPods Ultra” and “AirPods Pro 3 With Cameras” have been considered, and the company reportedly does not plan to call them AirPods Pro 4.
iOS 27 Already Hints at the Feature
A 2026 launch would line up with Apple’s September software release. iOS 27 is expected to introduce a more capable version of Siri with expanded Visual Intelligence features across the operating system.
The update also adds a Siri mode to the Camera app that can analyze nutrition labels and answer questions about what it’s looking at. Camera-equipped AirPods would bring those same capabilities into a wearable, letting Siri see your surroundings without reaching for an iPhone.
The presence of B790 in the iOS 27 beta suggests Apple is actively preparing the software for the new hardware, although the code alone doesn’t confirm when the product will launch.
