Apple's camera-equipped AirPods remain scheduled for 2027 launch despite recent developments, according to reports from Bloomberg News. The product had been planned for introduction this year, with advanced testing among Apple employees conducted in spring 2025, as reported by Bloomberg News in early May. However, supply chain and software challenges led to a postponement until 2027, as confirmed by Bloomberg in mid-June. A recent software leak has fueled speculation about an earlier release, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that "the effort to sell camera-equipped AirPods remains on track for 2027, despite a leak from the company indicating that the product might arrive sooner." According to The Business Times, "Apple continues to believe the earbuds will launch in 2027," with people familiar with the matter confirming that the product challenges are still being resolved and the camera AirPods remain off the company's 2026 release schedule.
Earlier this week, Apple accidentally included a video showcasing Visual Intelligence running on AirPods in the macOS 26.7 Release Candidate. The video, first published by MacRumors, corroborated prior reporting from Bloomberg News that the AirPods will rely on Visual Intelligence, an Apple feature that uses cameras to analyze and take action on items in the real world. With Apple's September iPhone event approaching, the presence of the leak in soon-to-be-released software fueled speculation that the introduction of the new AirPods was imminent, though product challenges remain unresolved. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman notes that "the recent leak has added to the controversy surrounding the device, with some users pushing back against the idea of AirPods with cameras due to privacy concerns."
During development, Apple has worked on two versions of the camera AirPods: one code-named B790 and one known as B798. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, "For years, Apple has been working on the camera AirPods under the code name B798. This device was initially scheduled for release in 2026 before being postponed until 2027." The B790 iteration was a modified version of last year's AirPods Pro 3 that added the sensors and AI functionality, which appears in the leaked video. The B798 version was a new generation of AirPods Pro that also included the cameras. The Business Times reports that "the B790 iteration, which was on the 2026 road map until recently, was a modified version of last year's AirPods Pro 3 that added the sensors and the AI. This is the version that appears in the video." Bloomberg reports that "references to the product have already shown up inside iOS 27 code, and it's been on Apple's internal road map for a debut as early as this year."
The camera AirPods have sparked privacy concerns on social media, with some users uncomfortable about the idea of Apple offering a product that could record or take photos of people unknowingly. Some have even started calling the device 'pervertpods'. However, according to people familiar with the matter, the cameras on the device will be low-resolution sensors and won't be designed to take photos or video. Instead, they're meant to scan the surrounding environment and provide context to the Siri digital assistant and other AI tools, as reported by Bloomberg News. The Business Times notes that "the cameras on the device will be low-resolution sensors, and they will not be designed to take photos or video; rather, they are meant to scan the surrounding environment and provide context to the Siri digital assistant and other AI tools." Bloomberg's Mark Gurman notes that "the cameras will be low-resolution sensors, designed not to take photos or videos, but rather to scan the surrounding environment and provide context to the Siri digital assistant and other AI tools."
If the new AirPods launch next year, they'll join several major product categories debuting in 2027, including Apple's first smart glasses and incoming CEO John Ternus's first holiday season launches. According to reports, Apple is planning the company's inaugural foldable iPhone, a smart home display for the new AI-enhanced Siri, and a first MacBook with a touch screen. Additional releases include a smart home security camera, a version of the smart display with a robotic arm, a new TV set-top box, an updated HomePod mini, and several refreshed Macs with speedier processors and new iPads. These releases are scheduled to extend between this fall and the end of next year. The Business Times reports that "Apple has also worked on a neck- or shirt-worn pendant with a camera as part of its AI wearables strategy."
