Apple's long-rumoured AirPods with a camera – potentially called AirPods Ultra – made no appearance at the 9th September iPhone 18 launch event, with the release now rumoured to be pushed back to 2027.
Honestly? I'm happy that it was a no-show.
I think this is a wise decision. Not only does this mean that the focus is rightly on the new AirPods 5 models and the brand-new foldable iPhone Duo, but it gives Apple more time to iron out any kinks with these rumoured AirPods with camera (that's assuming it's a real product, of course).
AirPods with a camera were touted as early as 2024, with reports suggesting they will feature embedded IR cameras, centred around augmented reality. This is with a view to them working with Apple's Visual Intelligence, rather than capturing images and video directly.
Considering the current controversy surrounding the Meta glasses that can be used to record images and videos without people's consent and without making the fact they're recording obvious, I can't really imagine Apple going for a similar kind of camera embedded into small earbuds.
Apple has a reputation for being privacy-focused, so the cameras being used for features such as enhancing ANC, spatial awareness, or for accessibility reasons based on your surroundings (which are current best guesses) rather than actually capturing real pictures or videos around you seem more likely.
As reported by MacRumors, a video seen in a macOS Tahoe release doc shows short-term practical applications, such as identifying a book to save it for later.
AI and AI-powered features are all the rage today, and Apple Intelligence/Siri isn't exactly leading the popular race. With the updated, more conversational Siri AI that launched today with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max – and which makes a big deal about protecting users' data and privacy – this could be a way for Apple to differentiate itself from the likes of Gemini, Claude and ChatGPT, and offer practical solutions that embed into users' iOS-led lives in a way that isn't too frivolous like generative AI.
The AirPods with camera, or AirPods Ultra, are rumoured to effectively be integrated in a souped-up pair of AirPods Pro 3, but considering the wealth of features already stacked into the Pro 3's compact buds (live translation, health features, various ANC modes and more) the current H2 chip would be working overtime.
It's not hard to imagine this would have a knock-on effect on battery life, along with perhaps less focus on improving overall performance – and that's not a trade-off I would be happy with.
And that's the key thing here: yes, technology advances in many ways, and it's exciting to have new possibilities, especially when products such as wireless earbuds have become so embedded in our busy, multi-tasking lives.
But I hope Apple doesn't forget what the AirPods' main purpose is: to allow people to enjoy their music.
Of course, Apple could use the proposed AirPods Ultra launch to launch an all-new, more powerful H3 chip. If it does, I hope it brings with it more advancements and improvements in the areas we really care about: sound quality, ANC quality, and battery life.
Camera or no camera, the current AirPods Pro 3 are a pretty great-sounding pair of 'buds. While the class leader, the Sony WF-1000XM6, still rules the roost here, the premium Pro 3 are a five-star pair whose nicely balanced, clear and dynamic sound is enjoyable with all genres, while ANC quality is excellent.
We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them for iOS die-hards, especially if you – like us – are all about the performance, and prioritise sound quality over fancy features.
Apple does a great job of refining features and improving performance, but it can sometimes be incremental – let's hope the next pair is a much bigger step forward in sound quality.
MORE:
Read our Apple AirPods Pro 3 review
Our guide to the best wireless earbuds you can buy, tested by our in-house experts
