Overview
- A short demo video and debug strings embedded in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate were publicly shared on X and reported widely, providing the clearest evidence yet that Apple is testing earbuds that capture visual data for Visual Intelligence.
- The macOS files include references to a project codename B790 and image-stream debug messages, and reporting links B790 to a near-term device while identifying a separate B798 project slated for later development.
- The demo shows a wearer asking Siri to 'save' an object and the voiceover explains Visual Intelligence will make the world 'savable,' which outlets say implies the sensors feed contextual information to Siri rather than produce user-viewable photos or videos.
- The earbuds in the clip resemble current AirPods Pro and appear to use small outward-facing sensors or IR cameras hidden in the stem or tip, with software alerts that warn if the sensor is obstructed, but Apple has not confirmed the product or its release date.
- The leak has intensified privacy concerns because tiny, hard-to-see cameras could capture bystanders unknowingly, and coverage notes Apple may rely on visible indicators, limited capture modes, and on-device processing as possible mitigations.