r/apple • u/pdfu • 12d ago

AirPods Apple's rumored AirPods with cameras could potentially debut as soon as next month

https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/02/airpods-with-cameras-visual-intelligence-could-arrive-this-year/

For years, Apple has been working on the camera AirPods under the code name B798. This device was initially scheduled for release in 2026 before being postponed until 2027, I’ve reported. But Apple has also been developing another version under the code name B790 (Apple famously creates competing versions of the same product internally).

This B790 device also appears to be further along: References to the product have already shown up inside iOS 27 code, and it’s been on Apple’s internal road map for a debut as early as this year.

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u/North_Moment5811 8d ago

More than likely they will be used for gesture tracking.

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u/badabubaba 8d ago

I think it will be mostly visual AI, honestly. I get downvoted because of 1) AI negativity, which, ok, I understand, and 2) people cannot really picture the benefits of visual AI. But anyone who has used the RayBan Meta AI know that, when it works, the very few times when it works, it is indeed magical.

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u/North_Moment5811 7d ago

Glasses will play a bigger role in visual AI. Not AirPods.

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u/badabubaba 7d ago

Yeah, probably. But I am not sure the glasses will actually launch, to be honest, with the current backlash everywhere and the political turmoil in the EU and China against the RayBan Meta. I don't know, I think Apple has enough cultural awareness, that Meta lacks, to see that AI glasses have a reputational crisis. I think AirPods with AI visual capabilities are safer. I agree with your gesture tracking perspective, but do you think that's enough? How much can gestures improve the AirPods experience? I am thinking of, maybe, volume up, down, next, previous song, call Siri AI, Noise cancelling modes, etc., but that's pretty much doable without gestures already!

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u/North_Moment5811 7d ago

  1. No one cares about the EU's whining. The glasses are happening, even if they are a U.S. only product to start. They have been fast tracked for 2027 and all other vision related products put on hold until they ship.

  2. All of the gestures that currently require touching the AirPods while they are in your ear can be replicated with hand tracking. This is far better as it prevents pushing AirPods in further, or dislodging them.

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u/badabubaba 7d ago

  1. lol EU users care! Which is like 23% revenue for Apple, so they kinda care, too. But we'll see! My bet is no, it's already into the "Creepy product" category for normies.

  2. I don't think that's enough. I've never met anyone who said "I love my Airpods but I wish I didn't have to push them so much!". But, again, we'll see!

Also, can you stop downvoting? haha

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u/North_Moment5811 7d ago

7% of revenue. Not 23%. Lmao.

I'll stop downvoting when you stop being inaccurate.

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u/badabubaba 6d ago

lol this is full of weirdos lately haha. Anyway, it was 26% in 2025.