Apple's camera-equipped AirPods leak in macOS beta, boosting launch chances

Apple may be gearing up to unveil a new generation of AirPods featuring a built-in camera, with a video discovered in the latest macOS beta fueling speculation of a September launch. The rumored device, internally codenamed B790, could be showcased at Apple's upcoming fall event.

The leaked video, reportedly from the macOS Tahoe 26.7 RC test version, offers a glimpse into the potential functionality of these camera-equipped AirPods. It depicts a scenario where the AirPods' camera recognizes a book title, enabling Siri to process and store the information. The accompanying narration highlights "visual intelligence," suggesting the AirPods will act as an extension of Siri's capabilities, allowing it to perceive and interpret the user's environment.

While the video doesn't explicitly show the camera lens, the earbud's design appears similar to current AirPods Pro, with a slightly thicker stem. This visual cue, combined with the discovery of B790-related code and the mention of "image stream" in the beta software, strengthens the belief that the product is nearing release. Bloomberg has also reported on Apple's development of two camera-equipped AirPods models, with B790 expected to launch first, followed by another model, B798.

The inclusion of this demonstration video in the macOS beta significantly boosts the probability of the camera-equipped AirPods making their debut at the next Apple event. Previously, there were doubts about whether the device would be ready in time, with some reports suggesting a potential delay. However, this latest leak suggests Apple is confident in showcasing the new technology soon.

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