Apple may have revealed one of its next AirPods upgrades earlier than intended, with footage discovered inside a pre-release version of macOS appearing to show wireless earbuds equipped with cameras.

MacRumors found the 13-second video within the Release Candidate of macOS Tahoe 26.7. Analyst Aaron Perris subsequently shared the footage on X, describing it as an early look at AirPods using Apple’s Visual Intelligence technology.

The clip depicts a man wearing AirPods while holding a book in front of him. A voiceover demonstrates how Visual Intelligence could be used to recognise something in the wearer’s surroundings and save information about it for later.

Adding cameras to AirPods could significantly change how Apple’s earbuds interact with the environment. Rather than requiring users to take out an iPhone and point its camera at an object, the earbuds could potentially provide Visual Intelligence with visual information directly.

Visual Intelligence is already available through Apple’s iPhone ecosystem and can analyse objects, places and other elements captured by a compatible camera. Integrating similar functionality into AirPods could make some of those interactions hands-free.

References discovered within Apple’s software reportedly identify the leaked device under the B790 codename. MacRumors says this is separate from another camera-equipped AirPods project carrying the B798 designation, which has previously been linked with a possible 2027 release.

That distinction raises the possibility that Apple has been developing more than one approach to camera-equipped earbuds. According to MacRumors, software code associated with B790 contains references to an image stream from the earbuds, including separate references to the left bud.

Other software references reportedly relate directly to setting up Visual Intelligence on AirPods. Users could also receive a warning when hair or another obstruction covers the earbuds and interferes with their ability to collect accurate information about the surrounding environment.

Exactly how Apple would handle images captured by such a system remains uncertain. One possibility raised by online commentators is that images would be processed for Visual Intelligence features without giving users conventional access to photographs. Such an approach could also address some of the obvious privacy concerns surrounding wearable cameras.

The discovery has prompted a mixed reaction online. Some users questioned whether cameras belong on a product traditionally designed for listening to music and making calls, while others suggested Apple’s implementation could encourage competing earbud manufacturers to pursue similar technology.

One particularly succinct reaction described the concept as Apple putting “eyes” on a product consumers previously bought for their ears.

The leak is notable because it appears to come directly from software distributed by Apple rather than from supply-chain photographs, accessory manufacturers or third-party renders. However, its presence in macOS does not guarantee the hardware will reach consumers in its current form.

Apple regularly develops and tests products and features that can change substantially before release, while some projects never reach the market at all.

For now, key details remain unknown. Apple has not announced camera-equipped AirPods, and there is no confirmed retail name, specification list, release date or price. As a result, there is currently no Australian price to convert or express in A$.

The discovery nevertheless provides one of the clearest indications yet that Apple is exploring how AirPods could move beyond audio and become another source of information for its growing range of artificial intelligence and visual recognition features.