Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reports that Apple is putting the finishing touches on AirPods with infrared cameras on the sides. Expected price: around $299.
What the cameras actually do
At first I didn't really get why you'd need cameras there. Turns out they're purely for geometry: distance to a wall, object contours, hand movement. That data goes to Siri via Visual Intelligence, letting it understand what you're looking at. Turn your head toward a menu at a bar in Shanghai, say "translate," get the translation. iPhone stays in your pocket.
Apple is trying to bring spatial computing to regular earbuds — no headset, no battery pack on your belt. Unlike Vision Pro, which basically flopped (though the M5 version is still on sale), the new earbuds are supposed to see and hear what you see and hear.
Where things stand
The hardware is nearly ready. Per Gurman's May 7 report, prototypes are in final testing, with mass production six months to a year out. Siri is what's holding things up.
AirPods with cameras were originally planned for the first half of 2026. The timeline slipped because the updated Siri isn't done yet. Without it, camera-equipped earbuds become an expensive sensor that understands nothing. The new Siri is expected in iOS 27 in September — and the AirPods launch will most likely be tied to that.
AppleInsider writes that 2026 is now in doubt — the release could slip to 2027.
For the first time I can remember, Apple isn't shipping hardware without working software. Usually it's the other way around. They're clearly betting seriously on spatial AI.