As spotted by Macrumors contributor Aaron Perris, a video hidden in the macOS 27 release candidate code contains a full video of the AirPods cameras in action. The video, which shows a user wearing a pair of AirPods and holding a book, includes a voiceover with the following explanation: “With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later.”
You can see the right earbud in the user’s ear, but it’s indistinguishable from the current AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4. Presumably, the cameras face outward and will snap a photo of what’s in a user’s line of sight and send it to a paired iPhone.
Visual Intelligence is getting a major upgrade in iOS 27, including a new “Siri” mode in the Camera app, nutritional information when looking at a package or photo, bill splitting, and Siri AI app integration.
Perris also reports that the new AirPods will alert users about anything blocking the field of view, with a message, “To get the most accurate information about things in your environment, make sure AirPods are not covered.”
It’s unclear whether these new AirPods will replace either of the current models or occupy an “Ultra” space above the AirPods Pro. Apple is expected to hold its iPhone event in early September, so we might find out very soon.
