Apple’s reported camera-equipped AirPods remain on track for 2027, according to Digital Trends, which cites Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The timing matters because a leaked video found in a developer version of macOS had prompted speculation that Apple might be preparing to show the earbuds sooner, possibly around its upcoming September event. Digital Trends reports that the video appeared inside a macOS update and showed the unreleased AirPods working with Apple’s Visual Intelligence feature. As described in the report, the feature would use cameras on the earbuds to understand the wearer’s surroundings and feed that context into Siri and other Apple AI features. The key correction is timing. Gurman reportedly says the device remains off Apple’s 2026 release schedule, with supply-chain and software problems having pushed it from an original 2026 plan into 2027. Apple employees had reportedly begun advanced testing earlier this year before those problems emerged. The cameras are not expected to behave like normal consumer cameras, according to the same report. Digital Trends says Gurman’s sources describe low-resolution sensors intended to scan the surrounding environment, rather than capture traditional photos or videos. The product idea, as reported, is less about media capture and more about giving Apple’s AI systems another input channel for what the user is seeing. That design would put the product in a sensitive privacy category even if the sensors are low-resolution. Digital Trends notes that the idea of earbuds quietly scanning the world around a wearer has already raised concerns online, including whether nearby people could be captured without knowing it. The report says Apple is aware of the issue, particularly after the privacy controversy around Meta’s camera-equipped smart glasses. The report also says Apple has developed two versions of camera-equipped AirPods. One, labeled B790, is described as based on AirPods Pro 3 and is the version shown in the leaked video. Another, labeled B798, is described as a newer AirPods Pro generation with cameras and AI. For now, the leak appears to show direction, not imminence. Digital Trends’ read of Gurman’s reporting is that Apple is still working toward a 2027 launch window for the camera-equipped earbuds, alongside other reported hardware that year could include smart glasses, a camera-equipped wearable pendant, a foldable iPhone, and an AI-focused smart home display. Who benefits: Apple would benefit if it can turn AirPods into a richer input device for Siri and Visual Intelligence. Who's exposed: Apple is exposed to execution risk around software, supply chain, and privacy perception. Any company building AI wearables faces added scrutiny when cameras or environment-scanning sensors are placed on devices people wear in public.