AppleAirPods with built-in cameras have long been rumored to have reached the final stages of development, with employees inside the company already wearing prototypes on a day-to-day basis. According to Mark Gurman’s Bloomberg report, the earbuds have hit the Design Verification Testing (DVT) stage – the last major checkpoint before Apple starts making initial mass production units in the Production Verification Testing (PVT) stage.Hardware is close to locking. Cameras are housed in both the left and right buds, and the only visible gift is a slightly longer stem to fit the new components. Otherwise, they look a lot like the AirPods Pro 3.

Cameras are built for Siri, not for shooting photos or videos

These cameras are not here to replace your iPhone’s shooter. Bloomberg says they capture low-resolution visuals that provide Siri context about what’s in front of you. Look at the half-empty fridge and ask what to cook for dinner. Drive through an unfamiliar neighborhood and get turn-by-turn directions that name the actual landmark you’re about to pass. Apple is also testing reminders that activate when the camera sees something relevant — say, an item you previously added to a shopping list.To address the obvious privacy concern, Apple has created a small LED that lights up when scene data is sent to the cloud. As Bloomberg points out, whether anyone would actually notice that light on something so small is another question.

September’s Siri overhaul may determine when these AirPods ship

Apple originally wanted to have these AirPods on shelves in the first half of 2026. That plan failed because the new AI-powered Siri wasn’t ready. According to Bloomberg, the upgraded Siri is now on track for September, after Apple swapped out Alphabet’s Gemini model under the hood. Earbuds can come in the same window, although Apple can block them if it’s not happy with the visual intelligence experience.The project has been in the works for nearly four years and sits alongside Apple’s smart glasses and camera-equipped pendants, leaving the AirPods behind.