Camera-Equipped AirPods Might Reach Market Earlier Than Planned

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple's initial AirPods model featuring built-in cameras could appear as soon as next month.

Two competing camera AirPods projects are in development. The company has reportedly spent years developing camera-equipped AirPods under the internal codename "B798" as one element of its wider AI-focused wearables initiative, which also includes smart glasses and an AI pendant. Planners originally targeted that version for 2026, but the schedule has now moved to 2027.

In the newest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman revealed that a parallel effort known internally as "B790" has moved forward at the same time. He observed that this approach is typical at Apple, noting the company "famously creates competing versions of the same product internally." According to the report, B790 stands nearer to manufacturing readiness.

B790 has appeared in iOS 27 code. Fragments of the B790 design have surfaced inside the code for iOS 27, and the project is reportedly viewed inside the company as a possible release before the end of the calendar year. Developer Sam Henri Gold previously discovered the same codename hidden inside the second iOS 27 developer beta last month.

Gurman did not detail the exact differences between the B790 hardware and the more ambitious B798 design, leaving open the possibility that both could eventually reach customers.

The cameras feed live views to Siri. The sensors are not expected to record photos or video; instead they would supply Siri with a continuous feed of the wearer's environment to support existing Visual Intelligence features. Because the camera version is projected to carry a price above the current $249 AirPods Pro 3, Gurman has said Apple is considering the "AirPods Ultra" name rather than "AirPods Pro 4."

A September launch remains possible for B790. Should the B790 variant reach store shelves this year, the most probable timing is a September introduction alongside the next iPhones, while the more fully equipped B798 model stays targeted for late 2027.