Overview
- In early August 2026 multiple outlets relayed Bloomberg’s report that Apple’s internal codename B790 has surfaced in iOS 27 code and on an internal roadmap, making a late‑2026 (possibly September) debut plausible.
- The B790 references follow years of work on a separate camera AirPods project, B798, which reports say was pushed from 2026 into 2027 and is expected to be a more advanced design.
- Developer findings in iOS 27 include examples of relaying two images from cameras on either side of the head, which reporters interpret as evidence the sensors would feed Apple’s Visual Intelligence for Siri rather than capture photos or full video.
- Leaks and reporting point to hardware signals such as slightly longer stems to house sensors, a small LED to indicate when visual data is transmitted, higher pricing that could use an ‘AirPods Ultra’ name, and unresolved privacy questions for people nearby.
- Apple has not confirmed any product or date and routinely builds competing prototypes, so whether B790, B798, both, or neither ship this year remains unconfirmed; the work also ties into Apple’s broader AI wearables push that includes smart glasses and a wearable pendant.