# AirPods Ultra

The text version of the iDevice Guide at https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap. Same data as the page, last updated 2026-09-29.

> Buy AirPods Pro 3 or wait for AirPods Ultra? Infrared cameras, H3 chip, Visual Intelligence. Every rumor graded. Late 2027. $299–$349.

- Status: Rumored, not announced
- Reported price: $299 (From published reporting.) Source: [9to5Mac](https://9to5mac.com/2026/04/28/airpods-ultra-launching-later-this-year-sounds-more-likely-than-ever/).
- Expected Late 2027
- Guide: https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap
- Last updated: 2026-09-29

## What will it have?

- **Will it cost more?** More than AirPods Pro 3, which is $249, though nobody has reported a number from Apple. 9to5Mac expects around $299 and Tom's Guide has floated $349, and both are outlet estimates rather than sourced prices. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-it-cost-more))
- **Will it work with my phone?** With an iPhone only, on current reporting. There is no Android app, and the features that matter here run through Siri. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-it-work-with-my-phone))
- **Will the screen change?** They have no screen, but they may notice yours. Code in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 build has the earbuds work out which display is in front of you and narrow spatial audio to it, rather than to whichever device happens to be nearest. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-the-screen-change))
- **Will the camera be better?** Cameras are the reason this pair exists. Reporting expects one in each stem for sensing rather than photography, and code in a pre-release Apple build describes both earbuds returning synchronised stills of up to a megapixel with no path for recording video. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-the-camera-be-better))
- **Will it get a new chip?** Possibly an H3. Mark Gurman reports Apple is developing one for better sound and lower latency, and says explicitly that he does not know which AirPods debut it. Putting it in this pair is our inference. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-it-get-a-new-chip))
- **Will it run a new assistant?** That is the point of them. Gurman groups these earbuds with the glasses and the pendant as hardware built around the next version of Siri, which uses what it can see to work out what you mean. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-it-run-a-new-assistant))
- **Can people tell when it is recording?** Reportedly yes. Gurman describes a small light that comes on when data is being streamed to the cloud for processing, rather than whenever the sensors are simply awake. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-can-people-tell-when-it-is-recording))
- **Will it do spatial audio?** Yes, and it should get smarter. Pre-release code has the cameras identify the screen you are watching and lock the spatial audio to that screen. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-it-do-spatial-audio))
- **Will I control it with gestures?** Maybe. Hand gestures picked up by the infrared cameras have been reported and disputed in roughly equal measure, and Apple has confirmed nothing. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-i-control-it-with-gestures))
- **Will it see and answer questions about what I am looking at?** That is what the cameras are for. Siri is expected to answer questions about what is around you without your reaching for a phone, and Apple has not announced any of it. ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#can-will-it-see-and-answer-questions-about-what-i-am-looking-at))

## 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. Source: [9to5Mac](https://9to5mac.com/2026/04/28/airpods-ultra-launching-later-this-year-sounds-more-likely-than-ever/). ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#faq-how-much-will-airpods-ultra-cost))

### 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. Source: [MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/06/16/airpods-camera-late-2027/). ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#faq-when-will-airpods-ultra-be-released))

### 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. Source: [MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/airpods-ultra/). ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#faq-should-i-buy-airpods-pro-3-now-or-wait-for-airpods-ultra))

### 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. Source: [TechSpot](https://www.techspot.com/news/112792-apple-ai-hardware-roadmap-includes-camera-eqipped-airpods.html). ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#faqs-what-do-the-cameras-on-airpods-ultra-actually-do))

### 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. Source: [MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/airpods-ultra/). ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#faqs-what-type-of-cameras-are-in-airpods-ultra))

### 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. Source: [Headphonesty](https://www.headphonesty.com/2026/05/airpods-ultra-release/). ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#faqs-will-airpods-ultra-have-hand-gesture-control))

### 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. Source: [Geeky Gadgets](https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/apple-airpods-ultra-cameras-ai/). ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#faqs-will-airpods-ultra-replace-airpods-pro-3))

### 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. Source: [MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/2025/10/12/new-airpods-pro-airpods-5-h3-chip-rumors/). ([on the Guide](https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap#faqs-will-airpods-ultra-have-the-h3-chip))

## Top reports

- **Infrared cameras are expected in both earbud stems** (Expected.) They are there for sensing, not for taking photos. First reported by [Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/audio/airpods/airpods-ultra-with-cameras-are-nearly-ready-heres-4-features-you-need-to-know) on May 8, 2026.
- **The earbuds are built around the next version of Siri** (Reported.) Gurman groups them with the glasses and the pendant, all relying on visual context. First reported by [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-17/apple-ramps-up-work-on-glasses-pendant-and-camera-airpods-for-ai-era) on Feb 17, 2026.
- **In-air hand gestures could control the earbuds** (Reported.) Reported gesture controls remain unconfirmed. First reported by [Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/audio/airpods/gurman-ai-airpods-with-cameras-just-tipped-for-2027-launch-in-flurry-of-new-releases) on Jun 17, 2026.
- **A new H3 chip is coming, though nobody has said which model gets it first** (Reported.) Gurman reports Apple is developing an H3 chip for better sound and lower latency. First reported by [9to5Mac](https://9to5mac.com/2026/04/28/airpods-ultra-launching-later-this-year-sounds-more-likely-than-ever/) on Apr 28, 2026.
- **The launch has slipped from 2026 to late 2027** (Reported.) It is Gurman's latest window, a year later than his earlier reporting. First reported by [Bloomberg Technology](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-16/apple-plans-camera-airpods-iphone-foldable-2-20th-anniversary-iphone-in-2027) on Jun 16, 2026.
- **The cameras take paired still photos, not video** (Reported.) Each earbud shoots synced RGB stills up to a megapixel. The code has no video path. First reported by [MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/21/camera-airpods-code-reveals-hardware-details/) on Aug 21, 2026.
- **The cameras will work out which screen you are watching** (Reported.) Cameras identify which screen you are watching and lock spatial audio to it. First reported by [MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/31/camera-airpods-spatial-audio-head-tracking/) on Aug 31, 2026.
- **Setup will require a step called Secure Pairing** (Reported.) A pre-release string tells you to put the buds back in the case to finish it. First reported by [Digital Trends](https://www.digitaltrends.com/wearables/apples-camera-airpods-may-literally-tell-you-when-your-hair-is-in-the-way/) on Aug 18, 2026.

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Source: iDevice (https://idevice.com). Every spec, rumor and grade above links to where it came from. Full Guide: https://idevice.com/earbuds/apple-airpods-ultra/roadmap. This file: https://idevice.com/guide-text/apple-airpods-ultra.md.

## Questions and answers

### 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