Apple’s Camera AirPods Leak Explained: Visual Intelligence, B790 vs. B798 and the 2027 Delay

That video is strong evidence that Apple has built and demonstrated the experience internally. It does not prove that the product has passed final hardware validation, supply-chain preparation, software development, privacy review or launch approval.

Why the AirPods are not expected in 2026

Earlier reporting suggested that one version of the camera AirPods could arrive during 2026, and the existence of a polished internal video made that possibility seem more credible. But subsequent reporting says the product is not on Apple’s 2026 release schedule and remains targeted for 2027.

The reported causes are twofold:

• Supply-chain challenges: Apple has reportedly encountered problems moving the product toward mass production.
• Software and AI setbacks: The camera system depends on Siri and Visual Intelligence being reliable enough to interpret visual context, and reports have linked the delay to unresolved AI-related issues.

The available reporting does not specify the exact component constraints or software failures. The safest conclusion is therefore that a working demo represents only one milestone in a product that still has production and software risks to clear.

B790 vs. B798: What is the difference?

Apple is reportedly developing at least two camera-AirPods prototypes, which helps explain the apparently conflicting launch rumors.

B798: the longer-running, more advanced project

B798 is the camera-AirPods project that had been associated with a 2026 launch before slipping to 2027. It is described as the more advanced version and part of Apple’s wider effort to build AI-focused wearables.

B790: the simpler prototype in the leaked demo

B790 is a separate project that appeared further along at one stage and was reportedly considered for an earlier release. The leaked macOS video is understood to depict B790, which may be a modified AirPods Pro design with added sensing capabilities rather than the more ambitious next-generation B798 platform.

The distinction matters because reports in early August suggested B790 might launch before B798. The later update, however, says Apple’s camera-equipped AirPods effort remains a 2027 product despite the accidental video leak.

What the cameras are meant to do

Despite the headline-making word “camera,” these AirPods are not primarily described as ear-mounted photography devices. Reports say the sensors would capture low-resolution visual information and act as an additional input for Siri and Apple’s Visual Intelligence features.

Possible uses include:

• recognizing or contextualizing an object;
• reading visual information, such as a book title;
• answering questions about the wearer’s surroundings;
• remembering something the wearer asks Siri to save; and
• supporting spatial awareness or gesture-related interactions.

Some reporting describes the sensing hardware as IR-like or infrared-oriented, but the exact final specifications remain unconfirmed. Claims about a “Hair Detected” warning suggest Apple is also considering whether hair or another obstruction could reduce the system’s ability to interpret the environment.

In practical terms, the product concept is closer to giving Siri eyes than to adding a miniature action camera to AirPods. Whether that distinction reassures users will depend on what data is captured, where it is processed and how clearly other people can tell when the sensors are active.

The privacy problem: why critics say “pervertpods”

The central objection is straightforward: AirPods are small, familiar and worn continuously. If they include sensors that can observe the surrounding environment without an obvious camera housing, bystanders may worry that they are being recorded without their knowledge. Critics have used the term “pervertpods” to express that concern.

Apple also has a clear precedent to study. Camera-equipped Ray-Ban smart glasses from Meta have faced criticism over the possibility of covert or non-consensual recording, making privacy one of the most visible risks for any new camera wearable.

The reported concept could reduce—but not eliminate—some of that risk if it avoids user-controlled photo and video capture and limits the sensors to low-resolution contextual input. Visible activity indicators, clear controls, strong default privacy settings and careful handling of data would also matter. However, those safeguards have not been confirmed for a shipping Apple product, so the privacy outcome remains an open question.

What could come next

Apple’s camera-AirPods work is reportedly connected to a broader AI-wearables strategy that may include smart glasses and a wearable AI pendant. The AirPods could therefore serve as an incremental way for Apple to put visual AI assistance into a product category that already has a large installed base, while the company continues developing more ambitious wearable form factors.

For now, the clearest reading of the evidence is simple: the August 18 video shows that Apple has made the Visual Intelligence experience real enough to demonstrate, but it does not overturn the reported 2027 timeline. B790 and B798 remain development codenames, the final hardware is not confirmed, and the product’s success will depend as much on software reliability and privacy design as on the sensors themselves.