The camera AirPods are not coming this year
Supply chain problems and unfinished software pushed them to 2027, two days after a demo video leaked out of macOS.
Read the story
AirPods UltraRelease Date, Price & Reports Graded
Late 202772% within 2027
Our read: 72% is the chance of a release at any point in 2027, the whole year, not only Late 2027. For the narrower late 2027 window alone it is 24%. It comes from 37 past forecasts of a window this size. It assumes Apple announces the AirPods Ultra at all. The window itself is Reported, not confirmed by Apple.
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 (see the AirPods Ultra Guide). It is the same device, so this page covers every name it goes by. Its main Guide is AirPods Pro 4.
What will the AirPods Ultra have?
Latest on AirPods Ultra
More news- 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 - The AirPods camera is not for taking pictures
Infrared sensors in both earbuds, low resolution, feeding Siri what you look at. An LED comes on when it reaches the cloud.
Read the story
Rumors
See everything we're expecting- Infrared cameras are expected in both earbud stems
They are there for sensing, not for taking photos.
Expected
ExpectedStrong evidence points this way.
It isn't official yet and may change.
87% track record
87% track record
Similar reports have held up 87% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 87% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Outlets
5
How strongly each outlet put it
- 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
ReportedA credible source reported this.
It isn't confirmed yet and may change.
64% track record
64% track record
Similar reports have held up 64% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 64% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Independent sources
- Bloomberg
- MacRumors
Outlets
3
How strongly each outlet put it
- In-air hand gestures could control the earbuds
Reported gesture controls remain unconfirmed.
Reported
ReportedA credible source reported this.
It isn't confirmed yet and may change.
69% track record
69% track record
Similar reports have held up 69% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 69% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Outlets
5
How strongly each outlet put it
Expected release date
An average of 1076 days between updates.AirPods Ultra release date
ShippedExpected
An average of 1076 days between updates.
| Generation | On sale | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| AirPods Pro (1st generation) | Oct 30, 2019 | first |
| AirPods Pro (2nd generation) | Sep 23, 2022 | 1059 days |
| AirPods Pro 3 | Sep 19, 2025 | 1092 days |
| AirPods Ultra (expected) | Late 2027 | expected |
Quick answers
All FAQsQuick 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 the AirPods Ultra?
Wait until it is on sale. The AirPods Ultra is not on sale yet. AirPods Ultra is reported, not announced by Apple. Expected Late 2027. See the full answer
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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
Reported
A credible source reported this.
It isn't confirmed yet and may change.
64% track record
64% track record
Similar reports have held up 64% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 64% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Outlets
3
How strongly each outlet put it
The cameras
Infrared cameras are expected in both earbud stems
They are there for sensing, not for taking photos.
Expected
Expected
Strong evidence points this way.
It isn't official yet and may change.
87% track record
87% track record
Similar reports have held up 87% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 87% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Outlets
5
How strongly each outlet put it
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
Reported
A credible source reported this.
It isn't confirmed yet and may change.
87% track record
87% track record
Similar reports have held up 87% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 87% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Outlets
6
How strongly each outlet put it
The cameras will work out which screen you are watching
Cameras identify which screen you are watching and lock spatial audio to it.
Reported
Reported
A credible source reported this.
It isn't confirmed yet and may change.
87% track record
87% track record
Similar reports have held up 87% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 87% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Outlets
2
How strongly each outlet put it
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
Reported
A credible source reported this.
It isn't confirmed yet and may change.
64% track record
64% track record
Similar reports have held up 64% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 64% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Independent sources
- Bloomberg
- MacRumors
Outlets
3
How strongly each outlet put it
In-air hand gestures could control the earbuds
Reported gesture controls remain unconfirmed.
Reported
Reported
A credible source reported this.
It isn't confirmed yet and may change.
69% track record
69% track record
Similar reports have held up 69% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 69% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Outlets
5
How strongly each outlet put it
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
Reported
A credible source reported this.
It isn't confirmed yet and may change.
87% track record
87% track record
Similar reports have held up 87% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 87% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Outlets
1
How strongly each outlet put it
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.
Contested
Read our overview64% track record
64% track record
Similar reports have held up 64% of the time in our historical data.
Based on how reporting on wireless earbuds has held up, across 84 settled reports.
This does not mean this claim has a 64% chance of happening.
How the reporting has spread
This started with independent reporting and was later carried by other outlets. Repeats don’t count as new independent sources.
Independent sources
- Bloomberg
Outlets
10
How strongly each outlet put it
Report record
37 of 40 still open, 1 can’t be checked.
- 1 Right
- 1 Wrong
- 38 Not checked
- AUG 312026OutletOpenNo outcome yetThe cameras find which screen you are watchingSource: The Mac ObserverRecord
- AUG 312026
- AUG 212026
- AUG 182026
- AUG 172026
- AUG 72026OtherOpenNever settledApple code identified a camera-equipped AirPods product with the codename B790.Sources: Original source unclear, MacRumorsRecord
- AUG 72026JournalistOpenNever settledA small LED was expected to indicate when the earbud cameras were active.Record
- AUG 72026
- AUG 72026JournalistOpenNever settledTiny infrared cameras were expected in both the left and right earbuds.Record
- AUG 72026JournalistOpenNever settledThe camera-equipped AirPods were expected to have a design similar to AirPods Pro 3.Record
- AUG 72026
- AUG 22026JournalistUncertainNot comparableGurman reported a second AirPods project, B790, is progressing alongside camera model B798 and could ship in 2026.Record
- JUL 32026
- JUN 162026JournalistOpenNo outcome yetGurman reported that B798 camera AirPods had slipped from 2026 to a fluid late-2027 target.Record
- MAY 82026
- MAY 72026
- APR 302026JournalistOpenNo outcome yetThe camera-equipped AirPods were not expected to support hand gestures.Record
- APR 302026JournalistOpenNo outcome yetThe infrared cameras were expected to enhance Visual Intelligence on compatible iPhones.Record
- APR 302026JournalistOpenNo outcome yetThe infrared cameras were expected to feed information about the wearer's surroundings to Siri.Record
- APR 302026JournalistOpenNo outcome yetThe AirPods cameras were expected to be infrared sensors rather than photo or video cameras.Record
- APR 302026JournalistOpenNo outcome yetApple was considering the AirPods Ultra name for the camera-equipped AirPods.Record
- APR 302026JournalistOpenNo outcome yetThe camera-equipped AirPods were expected to be priced above the $249 AirPods Pro 3.Record
- APR 302026
- MAR 92026JournalistOpenNever settledGurman reported that the camera-equipped AirPods would likely be priced above AirPods Pro 3.Record
- FEB 172026JournalistOpenNo outcome yetGurman reported that Apple was accelerating camera-equipped AirPods built around Siri.Record
- FEB 92026
- OCT 132025
- SEP 82025
- SEP 82025
- SEP 82025
- SEP 82025LeakerOpenNo outcome yetApple was expected to sell the 2026 higher-end AirPods Pro alongside AirPods Pro 3.Record
- SEP 82025
- SEP 82025
- SEP 82025
- SEP 82025
- SEP 82025AnalystOpenNo outcome yetApple planned to introduce a successor to the 2025 AirPods Pro in 2026.Record
- SEP 82025
- SEP 72025
- SEP 72025
- JUN 302024AnalystOpenNever settledKuo said AirPods with infrared cameras could enable in-air gesture control.Record
Feb 25, 2024 · First sign of it
Gurman: camera AirPods project, codename B798
Jun 30, 2024 · First sign of it
Kuo predicted camera AirPods in mass production by 2026 with Face ID-style IR sensors
Jul 8, 2025 · First sign of it
A newly granted Apple patent describes earbud cameras
Sep 19, 2025 · First sign of it
Apple launched AirPods Pro 3 with H2 chip and heart rate monitoring, no cameras
May 7, 2026 · Design and hardware
Bloomberg: camera AirPods reach advanced testing
Jun 8, 2026 · Design and hardware
WWDC 2026: Apple announced iOS 27 with rebuilt Siri and Visual Intelligence
Jun 16, 2026 · Others confirmed it
Bloomberg's Gurman reported AirPods Ultra delayed to late 2027, hardware codenamed B798
Jul 3, 2026 · Delayed
Kosutami claims Apple has suspended work on camera-equipped AirPods
At a glance
THIS PRODUCTAirPods Ultra
COMPARE WITHAirPods 4Spatial audio
Head tracking keeps audio anchored to the screen instead of to your ears.
Unknownthe environmental-awareness idea predates the Ultra reporting
More specs⌄
Processor
The processor affects speed, efficiency and which features the device can support.
UnknownH3 reported, model unassigned
Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and other connections determine what the device can work with.
Unknown
AI
AI features vary from simple voice help to camera-based assistants.
No
Indicators
A status light is how you know the battery level or pairing state without a phone.
No
Controls
Taps, head nods, eye and hand tracking suit very different situations.
Unknownreporters disagree
Battery
More time between charges usually makes a wearable easier to live with.
Unknown
5 hrs / 4 hrs ANC on
Expected price: about $299
Reported estimateThis figure was published by somebody else, not by AirPods and not by us. It can change.
Based on
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)).
Similar products you can buy today
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 the AirPods Ultra?
Wait until it is on sale. The AirPods Ultra is not on sale yet. AirPods Ultra is reported, not announced by Apple. Expected Late 2027. See the full answer
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 reports, 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.
How good is the camera?
Yes, it has a camera. Outlets report this, but it is not officially confirmed.
Can people tell when it is recording?
Yes, a light comes on. People around you can see when the camera is running. Outlets report this, but it is not officially confirmed.
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. Outlets report this, but it is not officially confirmed.
Price and models
When will the AirPods Ultra come out?
Expected Late 2027. It has not been announced. Basis: reported.
AirPods 5 batteries can finally be replaced, iFixit's teardown finds
A worn battery no longer has to mean new earbuds, but the swap is a technician's job and the charging case still can't be opened without breaking it.
Up next
The Beats 360 win on workouts and lose on sound, two reviews find
Two reviewers rate the Beats 360 as the over-ear headphones to beat for running and the gym, and WIRED warns the sound quality is the price.
Custom EQ is live on AirPods 4, 5, Pro 2, Pro 3 and Max 2
You need iOS 27 and the latest AirPods firmware. It is less detailed than Sony's EQ, and the default profile is fine if you'd rather not tinker.
The $349.99 Beats 360 bring AirPods-style switching and swappable cushions
The closest Beats has come to AirPods Max for about $200 less, with a sweat rating for workouts. You give up wired listening and auto-pause.
Reviewers agree the $149 AirPods 5 is the one to buy
Spend the extra $20. The wireless-case model gets swipe volume and more battery, and battery life is the complaint that follows the AirPods 5 through every review.
Noise cancellation is now standard on the $129 AirPods 5
Upgrading from AirPods 4 with noise cancellation buys you very little. Coming from anything older, the $129 model is the cheapest good AirPods Apple has sold.
AirPods firmware 9A348 adds custom EQ to Pro 3 and AirPods 4
If you own AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 or AirPods Max 2, you can now tune the sound yourself and the setting travels with the earbuds. AirPods Pro 2 get the update but not the EQ, and you can't force the install.
The cheaper AirPods 5 matches the battery of the pair it replaces
Only the $149 AirPods 5 beats AirPods 4 with ANC on every line. The $129 model carries the same two battery ratings and a case with no wireless charging and no Find My speaker.
AirPods 5 are rated IP57 for water and dust, like the Pro 3
IP57 puts a $129 pair of open-ear AirPods on the same water rating as the $249 Pro 3.
Apple moved the AirPods upsell from noise cancellation to the case
Open-ear noise cancellation used to cost $179. It's $129 now, and the $20 step up buys a case that charges on an Apple Watch puck.
AirPods 5 arrive with better noise cancellation and no cameras
The camera AirPods were on Apple's schedule for this stage and are now a 2027 product, which leaves a $129 pair of tipless earbuds carrying the entry line for another year.
AirPods Pro 3 can run a gym workout without the watch
A treadmill test on the iOS 27 beta came back with the numbers a watch would give. The earbuds have to be in, and their heart-rate permission has to be on.
The camera AirPods would outrank Face ID for head tracking
Apple already has a head-tracking sensor in the phone in front of you. The code says the earbuds win that argument, on hardware nobody expects before fall 2027.
Apple's cheap AirPods arrive next month, in two versions
Noise cancellation is reaching Apple's entry-level earbuds a year earlier than the reporting expected. The camera pair is still next year.
A merged branch is how Apple leaked itself
Apple assembles its shipping code by merging branches, and one of the branches it merged this time was never meant to leave the building.
The camera AirPods are not coming this year
Supply chain problems and unfinished software pushed them to 2027, two days after a demo video leaked out of macOS.
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.
Custom EQ is coming to four AirPods models
Apple’s fifth AirPods beta firmware, build 9A5347a, goes to every H2 model. Custom EQ and a new interface arrive with iOS 27.
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.
The unannounced camera AirPods already have a demo video
Apple's macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate carries the video, an error string from the camera, and codenames for two separate camera AirPods.