Apple's macOS update leaks camera-equipped AirPods demo video
Apple appears to have accidentally leaked footage of upcoming camera-equipped AirPods in its latest software update, according to multiple reports. The video, found buried in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate that arrived on Monday, shows a man wearing AirPods holding up a book, with a Siri voiceover explaining that Visual Intelligence makes "your world becomes savable" and that users can ask it to save what they're looking at for later.
The discovery was first made by MacRumors, which found the clip within the update. The release candidate also contains references to a codename "B790," including an error string about an image stream failing on the left bud, as well as a warning telling users to keep the AirPods uncovered so the system can read their surroundings accurately—with long hair noted as a known problem.
What the cameras are for
Despite the addition of cameras, the new AirPods appear to focus on AI visual search capabilities rather than taking photos or videos. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the cameras capture low-resolution visual information for Siri to reason about, not for user photography. The demo video fits this description: no one takes a picture; instead, a man looks at a book and Siri saves it.
The earbuds themselves look similar to the current AirPods Pro 3, with no visible lens or sensor housing, though the stem appears slightly thicker. Gurman has also described longer stems and an LED that lights up when visual data goes to the cloud, but neither feature appears in the leaked video.
Development stage and timeline
Apple employees have been using prototypes daily since at least May, with the product at the design validation test (DVT) stage—the step immediately before production validation, meaning the physical design is locked. Bloomberg has reported that camera AirPods could arrive as soon as this year, pulling forward from an earlier 2027 target.
The release candidate is the last build before a public release, and this one includes setup screens and error messages for the device. However, Apple has not confirmed any of the leaked details.
The update also mentions changes to the Home Hub, which include a screen and smart home devices, according to LBC's coverage.
Context: Meta's smart glasses controversy
The leak comes amid heightened concerns about privacy and surveillance in wearable technology. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, faced backlash after launching Meta Glasses, which combine cameras with AI and allow users to take photos and videos of their surroundings. The glasses were banned in England and Wales amid privacy concerns.
Meta is also facing a trial that began on Tuesday in a federal court in California over claims it was deliberately designed to be addictive to young people. Four US states are seeking billions of dollars from Meta on behalf of 29 states that filed a lawsuit in 2023. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman described the case as "the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history." The trial is expected to last between six and eight weeks and will include testimony from CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Meta said it "strongly disagrees" with the claims and will prove its "longstanding commitment to supporting young people." The company is also under pressure to change features such as infinite scroll.