AirPods Ultra

AirPods UltraRelease, Price & Every Rumor Graded

Last updated

AirPods Ultra are expected to be Apple’s first AI-first wearable. Instead of taking photos or recording video, the infrared cameras give Siri awareness of the world around you. Ask about an object, ingredient, landmark, or sign without pulling out your iPhone.
Also reported as AirPods Ultra (our AirPods Ultra page). One device, so the reporting record below covers every name it goes by. We file it as AirPods Pro 4.
Status
Rumored
When you can buy it
Late 2027
Expected price
$299
How sure we are
72% within 2027
AUG 21 · LATEST ON AIRPODS ULTRA
The camera AirPods code belongs to the pair Apple canceled

A hidden macOS framework has two color cameras, paired stills at a megapixel, and an indicator light. It describes B790, the model Apple dropped.

Read the story →

Best for

Music.
You can listen on any of your Apple devices.Our own judgement — no single source states this.
AI assistant.
Reports say infrared cameras will let Siri answer questions about what is around you.
Calls.
The microphones let you take calls hands-free.Our own judgement — no single source states this.

What will the AirPods Ultra have?

What to expect

See everything we're expecting
  1. Infrared cameras are expected in both earbud stems

    They are there for sensing, not for taking photos.

    Expected
    87% track record
    5 outlets
  2. The earbuds are built around the next version of Siri

    Gurman groups them with the glasses and the pendant, all relying on visual context.

    Reported
    65% track record
    2 sources → 3 outlets
  3. In-air hand gestures could control the earbuds

    Reported gesture controls remain unconfirmed.

    Reported
    70% track record
    5 outlets

If not this one

AirPods Ultra is our pick for the assistant and movies. Where it does not lead, here is what does, and why you would switch.

  • If it is mostly for musicAirPods 5

    It plays music in spatial audio tuned to a scan of your own ears.

    $129
  • If it is mostly for travelPixel Buds 2a

    It gives you 27 hours of playback with the case.

    $129
  • If calls are what it is forSamsung Galaxy Buds 4

    You control a call from the earbuds, including with a head gesture.

    $179.99

Quick answers

All FAQs

Quick answers

How much will AirPods Ultra cost?
Around $299 is the most-reported figure, $50 above AirPods Pro 3's $249 launch price, consistent with how Apple prices a step up from the base tier. Nothing is confirmed.
When will AirPods Ultra be released?
Late 2027, per Bloomberg. The report places the launch alongside a 20th anniversary iPhone and a second-generation foldable iPhone, with all three being tested on iOS 28. Bloomberg says timing remains fluid and could change, and Apple has confirmed nothing.
Should I buy AirPods Pro 3 now or wait for AirPods Ultra?
AirPods Pro 3 owners: no reason to wait. Camera-equipped AirPods aren't expected until 2027, likely alongside the 20th-anniversary iPhone in September, so AirPods Ultra is over a year away. AirPods Pro 3 at $249 is still a class-leading product today. If you specifically want the AI camera features and can wait, that will be new when it arrives, but it won't be a meaningful audio upgrade. It's an AI wearable upgrade.

Get AirPods Ultra updates

Email me when there's news.

Expectations view

What is inside

A new H3 chip is coming, though nobody has said which model gets it first

Gurman reports Apple is developing an H3 chip for better sound and lower latency.

Reported
65% track record
3 outlets
Read our overviewThe report behind this

The cameras

Infrared cameras are expected in both earbud stems

They are there for sensing, not for taking photos.

Expected
87% track record
5 outlets
Read our overview

The cameras take paired still photos, not video

Each earbud shoots synced RGB stills up to a megapixel. The code has no video path.

Reported
87% track record
6 outlets
Read our overview

The cameras will work out which screen you are watching

Cameras identify which screen you are watching and lock spatial audio to it.

Reported
87% track record
2 outlets
Read our overviewThe report behind this

Siri and controls

The earbuds are built around the next version of Siri

Gurman groups them with the glasses and the pendant, all relying on visual context.

Reported
65% track record
2 sources → 3 outlets
Read our overview

In-air hand gestures could control the earbuds

Reported gesture controls remain unconfirmed.

Reported
70% track record
5 outlets
Read our overviewThe report behind this

Setup will require a step called Secure Pairing

A pre-release string tells you to put the buds back in the case to finish it.

Reported
87% track record
1 outlet
Read our overviewThe report behind this

When the earbuds arrive

The launch has slipped from 2026 to late 2027

It is Gurman's latest window, a year later than his earlier reporting.

Reported
65% track record
1 source → 10 outlets
Read our overview
Report record
21 of 24 still open, 1 can’t be checked.
  • 1 Right
  • 1 Wrong
  • 22 Not checked
View all records
  1. AUG 312026
    OutletOpenNo outcome yet
    The cameras find which screen you are watching
    Source: The Mac Observer
    Record
  2. AUG 312026
    LeakerOpenNever settled
    Mactracker found code putting the camera AirPods' screen detection ahead of Face ID for spatial audio head tracking.
    Sources: Mactracker, MacRumors
    Record
  3. AUG 212026
    OutletOpenNever settled
    macOS Tahoe 26.7 code shows the camera AirPods capturing paired stills, with a capture light and on-device person detection.
    Source: MacRumors
    Record
  4. AUG 182026
    OutletOpenNo outcome yet
    Setup requires a Secure Pairing step
    Source: Digital Trends
    Record
  5. AUG 172026
    OutletClosedRight
    Apple embedded a demo video for its camera AirPods in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate.
    Sources: MacRumors, 9to5Mac
    Record
  6. AUG 72026
    OtherOpenNever settled
    Apple code identified a camera-equipped AirPods product with the codename B790.
    Sources: Original source unclear, MacRumors
    Record
  7. AUG 72026
    JournalistOpenNever settled
    A small LED was expected to indicate when the earbud cameras were active.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, MacRumors
    Record
  8. AUG 72026
    JournalistOpenNever settled
    The cameras were expected to function as eyes for Siri.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, MacRumors
    Record
  9. AUG 72026
    JournalistOpenNever settled
    Tiny infrared cameras were expected in both the left and right earbuds.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, MacRumors
    Record
  10. AUG 72026
    JournalistOpenNever settled
    The camera-equipped AirPods were expected to have a design similar to AirPods Pro 3.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, MacRumors
    Record
  11. AUG 72026
    JournalistClosedWrong
    Camera-equipped AirPods could be unveiled as soon as September 2026.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, MacRumors
    Record
  12. AUG 22026
    JournalistUncertainNot comparable
    Gurman reported a second AirPods project, B790, is progressing alongside camera model B798 and could ship in 2026.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, MacRumors
    Record
  13. JUL 32026
    LeakerOpenNever settled
    Kosutami claimed that development of the camera-equipped AirPods Pro had been suspended.
    Sources: Kosutami, MacRumors
    Record
  14. JUN 162026
    JournalistOpenNo outcome yet
    Gurman reported that B798 camera AirPods had slipped from 2026 to a fluid late-2027 target.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, 9to5Mac
    Record
  15. MAY 82026
    OutletOpenNo outcome yet
    An LED lights when data goes to the cloud
    Sources: Bloomberg, Gizmodo · recorded as Gizmodo
    Record
  16. MAY 72026
    JournalistOpenNo outcome yet
    Gurman reported that camera-equipped AirPods had reached advanced testing, with an infrared camera in each earbud.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, MacRumors
    Record
  17. MAR 92026
    JournalistOpenNever settled
    Gurman reported that the camera-equipped AirPods would likely be priced above AirPods Pro 3.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, MacRumors
    Record
  18. FEB 172026
    JournalistOpenNo outcome yet
    Gurman reported that Apple was accelerating camera-equipped AirPods built around Siri.
    Sources: Mark Gurman, 9to5Mac
    Record
  19. FEB 92026
    LeakerOpenNever settled
    Kosutami claimed that the next AirPods Pro would use cameras in both earbuds to 'see around' the wearer.
    Sources: Kosutami, MacRumors
    Record
  20. OCT 132025
    OutletOpenNo outcome yet
    An H3 chip is coming, debut model unconfirmed
    Sources: Mark Gurman, Cult of Mac · recorded as Cult of Mac
    Record
  21. SEP 82025
    LeakerOpenNo outcome yet
    Instant Digital claimed that Apple planned a higher-end camera-equipped AirPods Pro 3 variant for 2026.
    Sources: Instant Digital, 9to5Mac
    Record
  22. SEP 72025
    OtherOpenNo outcome yet
    AirPods Pro are expected to add at least one infrared camera in 2026
    Sources: Ming-Chi Kuo, X
    Record
  23. SEP 72025
    AnalystOpenNo outcome yet
    Kuo said a 2026 AirPods Pro model would follow AirPods Pro 3 with at least one infrared camera.
    Sources: Ming-Chi Kuo, MacRumors
    Record
  24. JUN 302024
    AnalystOpenNever settled
    Kuo said AirPods with infrared cameras could enable in-air gesture control.
    Sources: Ming-Chi Kuo, Tom's Guide
    Record
Feb 25, 2024 · First sign of it
Gurman: camera AirPods project, codename B798
9to5Mac, reporting Gurman: the project carries the codename B798 and was kickstarted the previous year. Our earlier entry named B796 in December 2023; that codename could not be located in any report.
Jun 30, 2024 · First sign of it
Kuo predicted camera AirPods in mass production by 2026 with Face ID-style IR sensors
Ming-Chi Kuo reported Apple would launch AirPods with infrared cameras, framing gestures and Vision Pro spatial benefits. MacRumors carried it the same day.
Jul 8, 2025 · First sign of it
A newly granted Apple patent describes earbud cameras
AppleInsider reported on a newly granted patent, 'Wavelength mixing for optical systems'. The coverage concerns a grant, not a filing, and July 2025 is not established as any filing date.
Sep 19, 2025 · First sign of it
Apple launched AirPods Pro 3 with H2 chip and heart rate monitoring, no cameras
Apple launched AirPods Pro 3 in September 2025 at $249 with heart rate monitoring, improved ANC, Personalized Spatial Audio, and the H2 chip carried over from 2022.
May 7, 2026 · Design and hardware
Bloomberg: camera AirPods reach advanced testing
Bloomberg reported the camera AirPods had reached the late stages of development, with cameras in both stems and an LED indicator. The term DVT does not appear in the accessible reporting and was ours.
Jun 8, 2026 · Design and hardware
WWDC 2026: Apple announced iOS 27 with rebuilt Siri and Visual Intelligence
Apple announced iOS 27 at WWDC 2026 with a rebuilt Siri and Visual Intelligence, which uses the device camera to identify objects on command and runs processing on-device.
Jun 16, 2026 · Others confirmed it
Bloomberg's Gurman reported AirPods Ultra delayed to late 2027, hardware codenamed B798
Gurman reported on June 16, 2026 that Apple pushed AirPods Ultra from a 2026 target to late 2027, with real-time object-recognition AI needing more development time. Hardware codenamed B798 was in testing on iOS 28 alongside the 20th-anniversary iPhone, with Gurman noting the timing remained fluid.
Jul 3, 2026 · Delayed
Kosutami claims Apple has suspended work on camera-equipped AirPods
Low-confidence, one-word claim ("Suspended") from a leaker AppleInsider itself rates "fair but short" track record, and it directly contradicts a more recent, better-sourced Bloomberg report (Jun 2026) that said the device was in advanced testing.
Jul 3, 2026 · Others confirmed it
B790 surfaces in iOS 27 beta code, device unidentified
Code in the iOS 27 beta references a device codenamed B790 relaying two images from cameras on either side of a user's head. The developer who found it first suggested smart glasses. Apple identifies no product.

At a glance

AirPods UltraTHIS PRODUCTAirPods UltraAirPods 4COMPARE WITHAirPods 4
Works with
iPhone / Apple ecosystem (iOS 28+)
iOS full / Android basic (no Siri or Adaptive Audio)Confirmed: Apple · Jul 15, 2026
Spatial audio
Unknownthe environmental-awareness idea predates the Ultra reporting
YesConfirmed: Apple · Jul 15, 2026personalized with head tracking
Camera
ReportedRumored: 9to5Mac · Jul 11, 2026infrared in both stems, not for media capture
No
More specs
Processor
UnknownRumored: Tom's Guide · Jul 11, 2026H3 reported, model unassigned
H2Confirmed: Apple · Jul 15, 2026
Connectivity
Unknown
Bluetooth 5.3Confirmed: Apple · Jul 15, 2026
AI
ReportedRumored: 9to5Mac · Jul 11, 2026cameras feed Siri; Apple has not announced it for this product
No
Indicators
ReportedRumored: 9to5Mac · Jul 11, 2026lights when data streams to the cloud
No
Controls
UnknownConfirmed: BigGo Finance (citing Gurman) · Jul 11, 2026reporters disagree
Head nod for Siri, double tap stemConfirmed: Apple · Jul 15, 2026
Battery
TBD (H3 more efficient)
5 hrs / 4 hrs ANC on

Expected price: about $299

Reported estimate

Reveal to on sale

How long after the reveal can you actually buy one?

AirPods Pro (1st gen)2 days
AirPods Pro (2nd gen)16 days
AirPods Pro 310 days
AirPods Ultra?  on-sale date not reported

The gap has ranged from 2 days (AirPods Pro (1st generation)) to 16 days (AirPods Pro (2nd generation)).

Available nowAirPods 5$129Guide News
Available nowAirPods Pro 3$249Guide News
Available nowGalaxy Buds 4 Pro$249Guide News
Available nowNothing Headphone (1) Pro$399Guide News

Frequently asked questions

Questions about AirPods Ultra

Top questions

How much will AirPods Ultra cost?
Around $299 is the most-reported figure, $50 above AirPods Pro 3's $249 launch price, consistent with how Apple prices a step up from the base tier. Nothing is confirmed.
When will AirPods Ultra be released?
Late 2027, per Bloomberg. The report places the launch alongside a 20th anniversary iPhone and a second-generation foldable iPhone, with all three being tested on iOS 28. Bloomberg says timing remains fluid and could change, and Apple has confirmed nothing.
Should I buy AirPods Pro 3 now or wait for AirPods Ultra?
AirPods Pro 3 owners: no reason to wait. Camera-equipped AirPods aren't expected until 2027, likely alongside the 20th-anniversary iPhone in September, so AirPods Ultra is over a year away. AirPods Pro 3 at $249 is still a class-leading product today. If you specifically want the AI camera features and can wait, that will be new when it arrives, but it won't be a meaningful audio upgrade. It's an AI wearable upgrade.
What do the cameras on AirPods Ultra actually do?
They give Siri visual context about your surroundings. The cameras in the stems are computer-vision sensors, not for taking photos or video. They scan your environment and feed that data to Siri so you can ask questions about what you are looking at: recipe suggestions from ingredients on the counter, or better walking directions. Apple calls this capability Visual Intelligence.
What type of cameras are in AirPods Ultra?
Newer reporting says RGB, not infrared. Code found in macOS Tahoe 26.7 shows the cameras take synchronized color still images, up to 1 megapixel per earbud, for Visual Intelligence, with no video recording. Earlier rumors, including analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's in June 2024, expected an infrared sensor similar to the iPhone Face ID receiver, but MacRumors found no mention of one in the code.
Will AirPods Ultra have hand gesture control?
Probably not at launch. Ming-Chi Kuo predicted gesture control in June 2024, but Bloomberg's Gurman specifically said in April 2026 he does not expect hand gesture support. When the two most-followed Apple analysts disagree this directly, gesture control should be treated as unconfirmed.
Will AirPods Ultra replace AirPods Pro 3?
No. Reporting describes it being sold alongside AirPods Pro 3 as a higher tier rather than a replacement, the way AirPods 4 sells with and without ANC. AirPods Pro 3 at $249 continues for buyers who want great audio without the AI camera hardware.
Will AirPods Ultra have the H3 chip?
Probably, but it is not confirmed. Bloomberg reported that Apple is developing an H3 chip for wireless audio with better sound quality and lower latency, and MacRumors expects it to debut in the camera-equipped AirPods. Gurman never said which model gets it first.

Using it

Does it work with my phone?
It works with an iPhone only. There is no Android app. Source: AirPods
How good is the camera?
Yes, it has a camera. Reported by outlets, not confirmed by the maker. Source: AirPods
Can people tell when it is recording?
Yes, a light comes on. People around you can see when the camera is running. Reported by outlets, not confirmed by the maker. Source: AirPods
Can it see and answer questions about what I am looking at?
Yes, it can see what you are looking at and answer about it. Reported by outlets, not confirmed by the maker. Source: AirPods

Price and models

When will the AirPods Ultra come out?
Expected Late 2027. It has not been announced. Basis: reported. Source: iDevice
Up next

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Apple assembles its shipping code by merging branches, and one of the branches it merged this time was never meant to leave the building.

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The AirPods 5 codenames leaked out of macOS 26.7

B868M and B868E sit one increment above the shipping AirPods 4, splitting the next generation into a plain pair and one with active noise cancellation. No date came with them.

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