Apple Camera-Equipped AirPods Potentially Launch Next Month

Apple (AAPL) may release a lower-tier camera-equipped AirPods model, codenamed B790, as soon as September 2026, with references to the device discovered in iOS 27 beta code. A more advanced version, codenamed B798, is reportedly on track for a later 2027 release. Details of the camera functionality remain unconfirmed.

Several technology outlets, including 9to5Mac and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, have reported that AAPL may release a camera-equipped AirPods model as soon as next month. References to the device were discovered by developers digging through iOS 27 beta code, specifically a model codenamed B790.

Reporting suggests Apple is developing at least two variants. The lower-tier B790 model is the one being tied to a possible September 2026 debut, timed to Apple's typical fall hardware cycle alongside iOS 27. A more advanced version, codenamed B798, is reportedly targeted for a later 2027 launch as part of a broader product refresh. Some outlets have cautioned that a September 2026 date is not certain and that the project has previously been described as being in an 'advanced testing' phase rather than finalized for mass production.

The iOS 27 code reportedly describes how the earbuds would relay images from cameras embedded in each stem back to the device, feeding Apple's Visual Intelligence system so it can identify landmarks, text, and objects the wearer looks at. Code references also point to an indicator light meant to signal when visual data is actively being captured and sent to the cloud, a nod to privacy concerns around always-available cameras worn in public.

What to watch: whether Apple confirms a camera AirPods model at its typical September event, and how much detail the company shares about camera resolution, battery impact, and privacy safeguards once the product is officially unveiled.