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Leaked Roadmap Suggests A Near-Term AirPods Variant Could Ship Before Year End

Reporters say the nearer-term model would give Siri a live visual feed to power new AI features, a shift that would deepen Apple's wearables push.

Overview

  • Multiple outlets cite Bloomberg reporting in early August that an internal AirPods variant codenamed B790 is further along than the long‑running camera project and is listed on Apple’s roadmap as a candidate to ship before the end of the year.
  • Developer traces in the iOS 27 beta identified the B790 codename and text describing relaying two simultaneous images from ‘cameras on either side of a user’s head,’ which fuels speculation the device may include small sensors.
  • The higher‑end camera project, codenamed B798, is still reported to be delayed into 2027 and is described as a separate, more feature-rich prototype that Apple continues to work on.
  • Reporting stresses that any tiny cameras would serve Visual Intelligence for Siri—giving the assistant context about a user’s surroundings rather than capturing photos or video—and previous leaks mention longer stems and an LED privacy indicator.
  • Coverage is unsettled and unconfirmed: at least one outlet interprets B790 as a camera‑free hardware refresh, and Apple has made no public announcement, so plans, features and timing could change before any launch.