Apple plans AirPods with cameras for AI Siri and a second foldable iPhone by 2027

Apple plans to release AirPods with built-in cameras in late 2027. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has added detail to rumors that have circulated since the start of the year.

Cameras in the earbud stems

Miniature cameras will sit directly in the AirPods stems. According to Gurman, light indicators will sit next to them and turn on whenever data is sent to Apple's cloud. Internal testing is already underway: developers are testing the devices alongside iOS 28, the update due in fall 2027.

The cameras' main job is to supply an updated Siri with "visual context" about the wearer's surroundings. The assistant will be able to not only hear questions but also see what is in front of the user at that moment.

What Siri can do with cameras

This is part of Apple's broader AI strategy, which also includes work on smart glasses. Cameras in earbuds open up fundamentally new scenarios:

• Real-time translation of signs, menus, or documents without taking out a phone
• Contextual suggestions based on what is in the user's field of view
• Recognition of objects, products, and places around the user
• Navigation help in unfamiliar spaces
• Syncing visual context with other devices in the ecosystem

Details of data processing have not been disclosed yet: it is unknown what will be analyzed on the device itself and what in the cloud. The light indicators suggest that at least some data is sent to Apple's servers.

A second foldable iPhone in the same year

Gurman also gave details on another 2027 project: a second foldable iPhone. The first-generation foldable is expected earlier, reportedly in 2026, and by 2027 the company plans to release the next version.

That is an unusually fast update pace for a new form factor. As a rule, Apple waits at least a year, and sometimes two, before iterating on an entirely new device category. Planning a successor before the original ships suggests the engineering teams have a high level of confidence in the platform.

iOS 28 as the platform for new hardware

The AirPods with cameras are being tested under iOS 28, not iOS 27, which arrives this fall. That is typical for Apple: new hardware is tied to the specific OS version that unlocks its key capabilities. This means the full AI features of camera-equipped AirPods are a matter for next year.

What this means

Apple is systematically building an ecosystem of AI devices: phone, earbuds, glasses, and the Vision Pro headset. AirPods with cameras are the next logical step, adding "vision" to a device people wear almost constantly. If Siri gets access to the image from the earbuds, the assistant will go from an on-screen app to a companion that sees the world alongside the user.