Apple may have accidentally tipped its hand. Hidden inside the latest iOS 27 iPhone developer beta, a developer has spotted code that appears to describe a brand-new Apple hardware product, one that could put cameras directly on your ears.
App developer Sam Henri Gold posted the finding on X, pointing to references in the iOS 27 code that describe a mystery device with the product code B790. Since AirPods Pro 3 carried the code B788, the numbering strongly suggests the new product is also a pair of AirPods. As reported by Forbes, the code includes the phrase “two images from cameras on either side of user’s head,” which is a pretty clear signal about what Apple is building.
The product doesn’t yet have an official name, but “AirPods Ultra” has been the term circulating in Apple rumor circles for a camera-equipped pair of earbuds. Whether or not that name sticks, the code suggests this product is further along in development than Apple’s rumored smart glasses.
This matters because it points to a meaningful shift in how Apple thinks about wearables. Adding cameras to earbuds isn’t about letting you take photos. The goal is computer vision, meaning the earbuds would be able to analyze what’s in front of you and feed that information to Siri through Apple’s Visual Intelligence system. Think of it as giving Siri eyes.
According to MacRumors’ Joe Rossignol, “the code appears to instruct Visual Intelligence on how to function on the mystery device. It says the feature works with landmarks, text, and known objects, with the Eiffel Tower in Paris and a coffee mug cited as two examples.” That gives a clear picture of what Apple has in mind: a hands-free way to ask Siri about the physical world around you.
It’s worth putting this in context. Apple is not the first company to explore head-worn cameras. Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses have had a single camera for a couple of years now, and that product has proven more popular than most analysts expected. Apple’s approach appears to go further, with two cameras rather than one, which would allow for better spatial awareness and depth perception when processing visual data.
There’s also a separate thread to keep in mind. Apple is reportedly working on its own smart glasses, which carry the product code N50. That project is said to be earlier in development, with some reports suggesting it won’t arrive until late 2027 at the earliest. That timeline would put smart glasses support in iOS 28, not iOS 27, which is one reason the B790 code in the current beta points more toward AirPods than glasses.
The key details uncovered so far:
- Product code B790, one step up from AirPods Pro 3’s B788
- Dual cameras, one on each side of the user’s head
- Visual Intelligence support for landmarks, text, and objects
- No photo or video capture, purely for computer vision and Siri
- Further along in development than Apple’s smart glasses project
None of this confirms a release date or a price. Apple has not said anything publicly about AirPods Ultra, and the company rarely comments on unreleased products. But the fact that software support is already appearing in iOS 27 suggests this is not a distant concept. Apple typically builds software foundations for hardware that is close to production.
The broader trend here is one worth watching. AI assistants are becoming more useful when they have access to real-world sensory data, not just text or voice. Google, Meta, and now Apple all appear to be racing to give their AI systems the ability to see. For Apple, putting cameras in AirPods could be a faster path to market than smart glasses, which face far more complex design and regulatory challenges. If the rumors hold, AirPods Ultra could be Apple’s first step into always-on visual AI, and it could land sooner than anyone expected.
