Camera-equipped AI wearables have developed a bit of a reputation problem. Devices like Meta's Ray-Bans raise concerns about people being recorded without their consent. So the idea that Apple is reportedly preparing to release AirPods with cameras might seem to conflict with the iPhone maker's desire to position itself as a privacy-focused tech company.
But Apple's now-leaked camera-equipped AirPods may not be as creepy as they first sound.
The rumored cameras were reportedly confirmed via video footage found in Apple's macOS 26.7 RC (release candidate, or the final test version before public release). The footage shows a man holding up a book while wearing AirPods and apparently having a conversation with Siri about it.
The audio track accompanying the video says: "With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later."
The addition of cameras to the popular wireless earbuds is further confirmed through code that references a "Hair Detected" error, which would warn users when their hair is covering the AirPods' camera. The launch of such a device could very easily backfire on Apple if not executed properly.
For a company whose brand is built on trust, this is a bigger gamble for Apple than one of its typical hardware refreshes. AirPods currently blend in as a simple iPhone accessory that people wear all day without a second thought. A change like this could instead push them to the front of people's minds, making them wonder whether the person opposite them is secretly recording.
Apple appears to have thought this through, based on prior reporting. According to an earlier report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the AirPods with cameras won't be able to record media. As Gurman put it:
"The cameras essentially act as eyes for the Siri digital assistant and aren't designed to take photos or video. These components — located in both the right and left earbuds — allow the device to capture visual information in low resolution."
In other words, the goal isn't to turn one of Apple's best-selling accessories into a surveillance device (lest they become "pervert pods"). It's to provide a way for AirPods owners to engage with the newly upgraded Siri AI, which is set to ship in September with Apple's iOS 27 and other software updates.
That means an AirPods wearer could look at something — like a book, as shown in the leaked video, or perhaps some ingredients they're preparing to cook, per Gurman's earlier reporting — and simply ask Siri for help. The feature could also be ...
via TechCrunch AI