Apple’s rumoured camera-equipped AirPods have been exposed in leaked promotional video, giving consumers the clearest indication yet of how the company plans to use cameras and AI in its next gen AirPods.

While the leak caused speculation that AirPods may be close to release, it has been reported the new earbuds are not coming to market this year with the camera-equipped model slated for a late-2027 launch.The product is expected to arrive alongside Apple’s 20th-anniversary iPhone and a next-generation foldable iPhone.

The leaked video, discovered inside a macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, provides the clearest look yet at Apple’s plans for AirPods equipped with cameras and its Visual Intelligence technology. It shows a user wearing the earbuds while looking at a book, with Siri demonstrating how visual information can be saved for later.

The model earlier associated with the product is understood to carry the codename B798 and remains scheduled for 2027. A second model, known as B790, has also emerged, tipped as a possible candidate for an earlier release, potentially as soon as late 2026. However, there is still no confirmation.

For now, the leaked video appears to demonstrate the technology rather than point to a new launch date.

The footage shows Apple’s vision for AirPods as an AI wearable, beyond simply an audio wearable. The cameras, however, are reportedly not intended for typical photography or video recording. Rather, they are designed to capture visual information from the wearer’s surroundings, feeding it to Siri to help understand objects, text and other elements.

In the demonstration, Visual Intelligence effectively allows the user’s surroundings to become searchable and memorable. A wearer could potentially look at a book, product or other object and ask Siri to remember what they are seeing, without the need to reach for an iPhone or something else to make a note.

The technology could eventually support other applications like identifying objects, providing contextual information and assisting with navigation.

The new AirPods appear similar to Apple’s current AirPods Pro design in the leaked footage. The cameras are reportedly embedded in the stems.

Privacy is likely to be a major issue, particularly as the cameras are so discreet. Some reports have suggested Apple could include a light or other indicator to signal the camera is in use or data is being transmitted.