Apple is said to be developing AirPods integrated with cameras, capable of locating the screen that users are looking at to improve the spatial sound experience on iPhones and other devices.
Information about this feature was discovered in macOS Tahoe 26.7 source code and shared on technology forums. AirPods currently use sensors to track head movements when playing space sounds. The addition of a camera may help this feature work more accurately.
According to the source code, AirPods with cameras will determine the actual location of the screen that is playing content, then compare the direction of the screen with the direction recorded by the motion sensors on the headphones.
The device can recognize many types of screens such as laptops, computer screens, smartphones, tablets and TVs. In case there are multiple screens at the same time, AirPods can identify the screen the user is looking at to adjust the corresponding sound direction. The recognition process is done automatically and can be paused when the user is moving.
Currently, devices with Face ID have used this sensor system to support head movement tracking. However, the source code shows that when users connect AirPods with cameras, the system will prioritize data from the camera on the headphones instead of Face ID.
In addition to improving spatial sound, the camera on AirPods can support Visual Intelligence. The source code mentions the ability to process images based on the server, consistent with previous information that data from the AirPods camera can be sent to Apple's server to perform requirements related to Visual Intelligence.
Although many traces of the product have appeared in the source code, leaked information now suggests that this new AirPods model may not be officially introduced until the fall of 2027.
