Apple’s long-rumoured camera-equipped AirPods may be getting closer to release after references to the earbuds appeared in video material discovered within the company’s own software.

The footage was reportedly found in a public test version of macOS Tahoe and provides one of the clearest indications yet of how Apple could use cameras inside future AirPods.

Rather than turning the earbuds into conventional photography devices, the cameras appear to support a feature called Visual Intelligence. The technology would allow wearers to capture information about objects they encounter and ask Siri to remember it for later.

In the demonstration, a person looks at a book and uses Siri to save information about it. The concept could potentially allow someone to remember products, signs, locations or other objects without taking out an iPhone.

The video was discovered by 9to5Mac and also appears to reveal the unreleased earbuds themselves.

Their overall appearance is similar to the existing AirPods Pro 3, although the stems appear slightly thicker. The cameras are not clearly visible in the footage, leaving questions about their exact placement and specifications.

Privacy will be an important consideration if Apple introduces wearable cameras. While Apple has not detailed how such a system would operate, some form of visual indicator could potentially be used to inform nearby people when image capture is taking place.

The leak follows earlier reports that Apple has been developing AirPods with integrated cameras or visual sensors. Their appearance within Apple’s own software adds further weight to expectations that the technology is moving closer to a commercial product.

A launch could potentially take place alongside Apple’s next iPhone generation, with reports pointing towards an event on 9 September. Apple has not officially confirmed the new AirPods or their release timing.

It also remains unclear whether the model will deliver substantial improvements to audio performance.

The earbuds could introduce upgraded speakers, processing or noise cancellation alongside the visual technology, or Apple could retain much of the existing AirPods Pro hardware while making Visual Intelligence the major addition.

Pricing is another unknown, and Apple has yet to reveal whether camera-equipped AirPods would replace an existing model or sit above the AirPods Pro range as a more expensive option.

If released, the addition of Visual Intelligence would represent a significant change in the role of AirPods, shifting them beyond music, calls and hearing features towards wearable devices capable of interpreting and remembering aspects of the user’s surroundings.