Apple’s camera AirPods won’t ship until 2027, Gurman says

Apple's ↗ 2.19% camera-equipped AirPods will not arrive this year despite a leaked demo video that suggested the product might be imminent, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The earbuds, which integrate low-resolution cameras with Apple's Visual Intelligence feature, remain on track for a 2027 release after supply-chain and software problems pushed them off the company's 2026 schedule.digitaltrends+1

The Leak That Sparked Speculation

Earlier this week, a video surfaced inside the macOS 26.7 Release Candidate showing the upcoming AirPods working with Visual Intelligence — Apple's AI-powered feature that uses camera input to understand a wearer's surroundings and provide context to Siri. The video was discovered by developer Aaron (@aaronp613) and posted on August 18, 2026.digitaltrends

With Apple's annual iPhone event expected in early September, the timing of the leak led to widespread speculation that an announcement could be days away. Apple has been developing two versions of the product: the B790 model, a modified version of last year's AirPods Pro 3 with added sensors, and the B798, a newer-generation AirPods Pro with cameras and AI built in. The leaked video showed the B790 version, which had been on Apple's internal road map for a possible 2026 debut.9to5mac

Still a 2027 Product

Gurman's reporting makes clear that neither version will ship this year. The B790 was on Apple's 2026 road map "until recently," but technical setbacks have delayed both iterations into 2027. Apple employees had reportedly begun advanced testing earlier this year before the problems emerged.9to5mac+1

When the camera AirPods do arrive, they are expected to land alongside an ambitious product lineup that could include Apple's first smart glasses, a camera-equipped wearable pendant, a foldable iPhone, and an AI-focused smart home display.digitaltrends

Privacy Questions Loom

The cameras are not designed to function like conventional cameras. According to Gurman's sources, they will use low-resolution sensors meant to scan the environment rather than capture traditional photos or videos, feeding contextual information to Siri and other AI tools.9to5mac+1

Still, the concept of earbuds that can quietly observe the world has already drawn pushback online, with some critics dubbing the product "pervertpods." Apple is reportedly mindful of the issue, particularly after the privacy controversy that surrounded Meta Platforms' ↗ 0.43% camera-equipped Ray-Ban smart glasses.digitaltrends+1