Apple is getting close to launching one of its most unusual AirPods upgrades yet, as new reports say the company has reached the advanced testing stage for AirPods with built-in cameras that work with AI-powered Siri features. The earbuds are reportedly close to final hardware design, while Apple’s teams have already moved into late-stage validation testing before mass production begins.
According to Bloomberg, Apple’s upcoming AirPods will use tiny low-resolution cameras to feed visual information to Siri, helping the assistant understand what users are looking at in real time. The cameras will not take photos or record videos, and Apple reportedly designed them only for AI and Visual Intelligence features.
The report says the earbuds still look similar to the current AirPods Pro lineup, although the stems are slightly longer to fit the camera hardware inside each side. Apple has also added a small LED indicator that lights up when the earbuds send visual data to the cloud, which appears to be part of the company’s effort to address privacy concerns around wearable AI devices.
“We are about to change the world once again. If you’re lucky, and I mean really lucky, you can have a moment or two in your career to be part of something profoundly important. Now we’re in a moment where we get to do it again.”
— John Ternus, speaking to Apple employees
Apple reportedly wants these AirPods to work like an AI assistant that can “see” the environment around the user. Someone could look at food ingredients and ask Siri what to cook for dinner, or request more detailed navigation instructions that reference nearby landmarks instead of generic turn prompts. Apple is also testing reminder features that trigger based on objects or locations the cameras recognize.
The launch timing still depends heavily on Apple’s delayed Siri upgrade. Bloomberg says Apple originally planned to release the earbuds earlier, but the smarter Siri experience was not ready. The company now targets September alongside iOS 27, macOS 27, and iPadOS 27.
Apple has not confirmed the final branding yet, and reports suggest the earbuds may avoid the “AirPods Pro 4” name entirely. Internally, Apple reportedly sees the product as part of a much bigger AI hardware push that also includes smart glasses, AI home devices, and future wearable products designed around Visual Intelligence.
