The TL;DR
- Leaked hints that Apple may have paused its AirPods Pro with a camera, but the new iOS 27 beta code suggests that development is still underway.
- The rumored cameras are expected to enable Siri’s Visual Intelligence features, helping the earbuds understand your location for hands-on assistance.
- It’s likely that Apple is still refining its AI experience and addressing hardware and privacy challenges before bringing the earbuds to market.
Apple’s rumored AirPods with cameras have gotten very confusing. On the other hand, a new post from Apple leaker Kosutami suggests that AirPods Pro with built-in cameras may have a problem. On the other hand, Apple’s latest developer software appears to contain new clues that suggest the company is still developing features for such a product. The conflicting reports leave us with an odd situation: It’s possible that Apple is still working on the technology, even if the hardware itself isn’t ready to move forward.
The uncertainty began after Kosutami shared a short “blame answered” post on X, referencing a previous claim about the AirPods Pro’s camera. No explanation has been attached, but the wording has led many to believe that the project has been put on hold or quietly cancelled. That interpretation doesn’t fully match what we’ve heard in recent months.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple had made enough progress with the earbuds to begin preparing for early production. However, he also noted that Apple was not expected to release itself until it was satisfied with AI knowledge, especially the Visual Intelligence features tied to Siri. So, earbuds may not be waiting for better cameras – they may be waiting for smarter software.
This is where some of the later discoveries become interesting. Coder Sami Henri Gold at X found references within the latest developer beta of iOS 27 that process images captured by two cameras positioned on either side of the user’s head. The same code also refers to a device internally known as the B790, which some believe could refer to Apple’s rumored smart glasses.
But the placement of the camera raises questions. Smart glasses and headsets typically have front-facing cameras near your eyes, while the beta directly addresses two cameras on opposite sides of the user’s head. That explanation matches previous rumors that Apple was testing hidden cameras inside the AirPods Pro case better than any existing Apple product.
If the rumors are true, these cameras could act as an extra set of eyes for Apple’s AI, helping Siri understand your surroundings. For example, you can ask Siri to point out a building, translate the menu in front of you, or provide more information about what you’re looking at – all without needing to communicate with another device.
Of course, turning that idea into a real product is another challenge entirely. Small earbuds leave very little room for camera hardware, battery capacity, and extra processing. Apple will also need a clear way to show when the cameras are working; otherwise, privacy concerns may overshadow the product before it launches.
So where does that leave us? Rumors don’t really cancel each other out. It is entirely possible that Apple continues to develop the basic software while reworking the hardware or delays its release until the AI experience is sufficiently polished. For now, the latest leak is muddying the waters, but the code inside iOS 27 suggests that the idea of camera-equipped AirPods hasn’t disappeared just yet.
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