iOS 27 beta code confirms Apple's camera AirPods — but don't expect them soon
Apple has never acknowledged camera-equipped AirPods, but the evidence keeps mounting. A developer digging through iOS 27 Beta 2 code found clear references to an unannounced device — codename B790 — with two cameras designed to feed Apple's Visual Intelligence engine. The find suggests Apple is actively building the software for it, even if the hardware isn't ready.
The code
Sam Henri Gold, an iOS app developer, spotted the B790 references on July 3, 2026, according to MacRumors. He initially thought it pointed to Apple's rumored smart glasses — but the geometry rules that out. The code describes cameras positioned on the sides of a user's head, not the front, which matches earbuds far better than glasses. The B790 codename also slots neatly into the AirPods naming scheme: B788 is already linked to AirPods Pro 3.
The Visual Intelligence integration works by relaying two simultaneous images — one from each side — to Siri. Code examples reference recognizing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, reading text, and identifying everyday objects like a coffee mug. Apple's own marketing vision, floated by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, goes further: hold up groceries, and your AirPods could suggest a recipe.
Apple's AirPods Ultra could use side-facing cameras to power Visual Intelligence via Siri.
The timeline problem
Here's the catch: a September 2026 launch — floated in earlier reports — looks increasingly unlikely. MacRumors cites Bloomberg's more credible estimate of a late 2027 target. The same week the beta code surfaced, a leaker claimed the project had been suspended entirely — though active software development in a shipping beta directly contradicts that.
On privacy, iThinkDifferent notes the design will likely include an LED activity indicator, similar to the approach Meta uses on Ray-Ban smart glasses. The cameras are expected to use infrared sensors, similar to Face ID hardware. Whether visual data is processed on-device or sent to Apple's servers hasn't been confirmed.
Price and availability
No retail availability has been announced for the US or UK. Pricing is speculative — early leaks suggest somewhere between $299 and $349, which would place AirPods Ultra above AirPods Pro 3 ($249) as a new premium tier. Until Apple says otherwise, everything here is software archaeology, not a product announcement.
