Apple accidentally revealed camera-equipped AirPods running its Visual Intelligence feature in the latest macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, confirming that the B790 project is real and further along than anyone expected, even though Bloomberg now reports the product remains on track for a 2027 launch.
The video was discovered by MacRumors, which found it tucked inside the macOS 26.7 RC build. It shows a man holding a book up to his AirPods while a voiceover says: "With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later." The earbuds appear to scan the book cover and respond to the user, demonstrating how the low-resolution camera feeds data to Siri and other AI tools.
Aaron from MacRumors posted the video on X on August 18, and it has already accumulated over 4,600 likes. The video file was confirmed to originate from the macOS 26.7 release candidate build.
Two Development Paths
The leak confirms there are actually two competing versions of camera-equipped AirPods in Apple's pipeline. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman first reported on both in mid-June:
The B790 version, which appears in the leaked video, was a modified version of last year's AirPods Pro 3 with added sensors and AI. It has been on Apple's internal roadmap for a debut as early as 2026. References to B790 have already appeared inside iOS 27 code.
The B798 version is a new generation of AirPods Pro that also includes cameras. It was initially scheduled for 2026 but was postponed to 2027 due to supply chain and software snags.
macOS Tahoe 26.7 includes multiple references to the B790 product, as well as references to a long list of other unreleased Apple products, suggesting Apple's internal development ecosystem is already being primed for the upcoming product cycle.
Privacy Concerns
The leak has intensified the debate over Apple's camera-equipped earbuds. Some users have dubbed the product "pervertpods" due to concerns about discreet recording. Gurman notes that the cameras will be low-resolution sensors designed specifically to scan the surrounding environment and provide context to Siri, not to take photos or video.
Apple has confirmed that the AirPods are working on built-in cameras for Visual Intelligence, but product challenges are still being resolved. The company has not announced a release date, and the product remains on track for a 2027 launch.
What Comes Next
The accidental leak came just days after Gurman's June report and just before Apple's expected iPhone event, leading many to speculate that camera-equipped AirPods could have been announced alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. That seems unlikely now, but the product is still on Apple's roadmap.
For a deeper take on Apple's AI wearable strategy, see the Forbes analysis on camera-equipped AirPods. For the full Bloomberg report, check Gurman's Power On newsletter.
The AirPods with cameras represent Apple's push into AI-powered wearables, alongside smart glasses and a wearable AI pendant. If the product launches in 2027 as expected, it could mark a significant shift in how consumers interact with AI assistants in everyday life.