A leaked video found in the macOS 26.7 Release Candidate reveals Apple AirPods equipped with built-in cameras using a new Visual Intelligence feature to recognize objects like book covers, enhancing Siri's capabilities [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The AirPods look similar to the current AirPods Pro 3 but feature slightly thicker and longer stems to house the cameras [1, 2, 3, 5]. These cameras provide low-resolution visual input, enabling Siri to offer more context-aware responses such as identifying objects and saving visual information. Siri’s voiceover in the video says, "With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later" [1].
Apple designed the cameras not for general photo or video capture but strictly to supplement Siri’s visual understanding. Technology journalist Mark Gurman described them as “eyes for the Siri digital assistant” and confirmed they capture only low-resolution visuals [3]. To address privacy concerns, the AirPods will include an LED indicator to show when cameras are active [1, 2, 5].
A software feature called "Hair Detected" warns users if hair or obstructions block the AirPods’ cameras, ensuring optimal functioning of the Visual Intelligence system [2, 3].
Apple plans to launch these camera-equipped AirPods alongside an updated version of Siri and the iOS 27 update expected in September 2026, marking a delay from earlier 2026 release expectations [1, 2, 3, 5]. The new AirPods carry the codename B790, while a different camera-equipped model (B798) is rumored for release in 2027 [5].
The announcement has sparked significant privacy debates, with critics worried the cameras could be misused for secret recordings despite Apple’s privacy safeguards [1, 4, 5].
The leaked macOS 26.7 video surfaced today, August 18, 2026, uncovering these details and fueling anticipation for Apple’s fall launch [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
