Apple accidentally leaked its new AirPods with built-in cameras for AI recognition

Apple appears to have accidentally leaked its rumored next generation AirPods with built-in cameras through files found in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, giving us the clearest sign yet that they may be close to launch. An Apple produced demo shows the AirPods using built in cameras with Visual Intelligence and Siri to recognize objects and save contextual information about what the wearer is looking at.

In the demo, Siri uses imagery from the AirPods to answer questions about the user's surroundings, identify objects, and save related information. The system can also warn users if hair or another object is blocking the cameras. macOS includes dedicated Visual Intelligence setup for the AirPods, while internal references identify the device as B790 and confirm image streaming capabilities.

The same software release also references several other unreleased Apple products, including the iPhone 18 Pro, foldable iPhone Ultra, M6 MacBook Pro models, OLED Macs and iPad mini, AirPods Pro 4, and a new Apple TV remote. It also points to future home hubs, a tabletop robot, and a possible security camera, many of which could be officially unveiled at Apple’s next event in September... or not 🤷‍♂️