이미지: TechCrunch AI
Summary
- The existence of camera-equipped AirPods was confirmed through macOS 26.7 RC code and leaked footage
- According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the camera is meant for low-resolution visual recognition for Siri, not for taking photos or videos
- The device includes an LED indicator that lights up during cloud transmission, but observers note this may not fully avoid the privacy controversies seen with products like Meta's Ray-Ban glasses
- 발견 경위
- 연구자 Aaron Perris가 macOS 26.7 RC 코드·영상에서 확인
- 영상 내용
- 책을 든 남성이 에어팟을 착용한 채 시리와 대화
- 오류 메시지
- 머리카락이 카메라를 가릴 때 뜨는 'Hair Detected'
- 촬영 기능
- 사진·영상 저장 불가, 저해상도 시각 정보만 캡처 (마크 거먼 보도)
- 카메라 위치
- 좌우 이어버드 양쪽에 내장
- 투명성 장치
- 클라우드로 시각 데이터 전송 시 켜지는 LED 표시등
- 출시 예상 시점
- iOS 27 등과 함께 9월경
A man with a book talking to Siri
Inside Apple's macOS 26.7 RC — the last test build before general release — a video was discovered showing a man wearing AirPods holding up a book while talking to Siri. The audio track includes the line: "With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes saveable. When you see something you like, just ask to save it for later." The clip is being cited as the first concrete evidence behind long-standing rumors that Apple is developing new AirPods with a built-in camera.
Clues buried in the macOS code
According to TechCrunch, researcher Aaron Perris discovered the video inside macOS 26.7 RC. The same code also contains an error message reading "Hair Detected," reportedly a warning that alerts users when hair is blocking the camera lens, reducing recognition accuracy. The camera is said to be built into both the left and right earbuds.
Camera-equipped AI wearables like Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses have continued to face controversy over recording without consent. For Apple, a company that has built its brand around privacy, releasing a product in the same category could be seen as an unusual gamble.
'Eyes' for Siri, not for photos
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the camera is not designed to capture photos or videos. Citing Gurman's reporting, the camera "essentially functions as eyes for Siri." According to the report, the component built into each earbud captures surrounding visual information at low resolution and passes it to Siri, without generating image or video files saved to a camera roll.
If put to use, scenarios cited include asking for a recipe based on ingredients seen in front of you, or getting walking directions in an unfamiliar city. Since it lets users ask Siri about something directly in front of them without looking at a screen, the feature aligns with Apple's long-standing goal of reducing how often people reach for their iPhones.
Still, an LED indicator remains
Gurman also reported that the device includes an LED indicator that lights up when visual data is being transmitted to the cloud. While this is the right approach from a transparency standpoint, some have questioned how noticeable an LED on a device as small as AirPods can realistically be. The concern is that this single LED risks lumping Apple in with existing camera wearables like Meta's Ray-Bans, Snap Spectacles, and Google's AI glasses. Apple may be able to control how the camera actually functions, but how people perceive that camera is out of Apple's hands.
The transformation of an all-day accessory
Until now, AirPods have been something people wore all day without much thought, as a simple iPhone accessory. Adding a camera could turn them into something that makes the person across from you wonder, "Am I being recorded right now?" For Apple, this is a far bigger gamble than a routine hardware refresh. Still, given that this feature is reportedly tied to the new Siri AI expected to launch alongside iOS 27 in September, Apple appears to be positioning the device as part of a longer-term strategy to shift user habits away from staring at screens.
Editor's view
The approach Apple has taken here — adding a camera while stripping out the ability to actually take photos — reads less like a technical compromise and more like a brand-protection strategy. Meta's Ray-Bans still haven't fully shaken off the "secret recording glasses" label since launch, and Snap Spectacles and Google's AI glasses face similar suspicion. As a late entrant to this market, Apple appears to have chosen to limit the camera's functionality itself in order to avoid repeating the same mistake. By blocking the ability to save photos or videos, the very basis for "hidden camera" accusations disappears.
That said, this compromise isn't a complete shield. People tend to react to how a device looks before they consider how it actually works. The mere fact that a lens is embedded in an earbud is enough to raise the suspicion, "Is that person recording me?" Whether the LED indicator can sufficiently ease that suspicion won't be known until the actual product is in people's ears. Given that every AI wearable so far — necklaces, glasses, rings — has stumbled over privacy concerns, whether AirPods prove to be the exception remains something the market will have to test.
For domestic companies watching this trend, the more relevant takeaway lies in software rather than hardware — namely, whether a similar always-on assistant experience can be built using voice alone, without a camera. There have already been attempts to validate social acceptance first through voice-only ring form factors. Apple's choice here — removing the ability to capture footage while keeping recognition — offers a design benchmark worth considering for any company preparing a camera-based wearable.
In the coming weeks, additional code leaks or trademark filings are likely to surface ahead of the official September announcement. Until the actual product is in hand, how visible the LED turns out to be will likely serve as the first test of public opinion on the device.
