Updated
Updated · Mashable · Aug 3
Apple Readies B790 Camera AirPods for 2026 Launch as $249 Pro 3 Successor Nears
Updated
Updated · Mashable · Aug 3

Apple Readies B790 Camera AirPods for 2026 Launch as $249 Pro 3 Successor Nears

3 articles · Updated · Mashable · Aug 3

Summary

  • B790, a separate camera-equipped AirPods project, is now closer to production and is internally listed as a candidate to ship before year-end, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported.
  • iOS 27 code has surfaced pieces of the device, reinforcing earlier beta findings and suggesting Apple is moving the hardware toward a possible September unveiling alongside new iPhones.
  • The earbuds' cameras are expected to feed Siri a live view of a user's surroundings for Visual Intelligence features rather than capture photos or video.
  • Apple has developed B790 alongside the more advanced B798 model, which slipped from a planned 2026 release to late 2027 as part of a broader AI wearables push.
  • Because the new model would likely cost more than the current $249 AirPods Pro 3, Apple has weighed branding it as AirPods Ultra instead of AirPods Pro 4.

Insights

With Apple's camera-equipped AirPods dropping this September, how will tiny stem sensors secretly revolutionize your daily interactions with AI?
Could putting cameras inside earbuds be Apple's ultimate trojan horse to dominate the smart glasses market without actually building glasses?
As Apple battles Meta in the wearable race, will a tiny LED indicator truly stop privacy concerns over constant visual monitoring?