Apple has adjusted its hardware roadmap for the popular audio line, with Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman revealing in his “PowerOn” newsletter that a camera-equipped AirPods Pro variant is unlikely to debut in 2026. Instead, internal development has prioritized a codenamed “B790” model, which has surfaced in recent iOS 27 code and aims for a release later this year.
The Shift Away from 2026 for Infrared Camera Integration
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the hardware carrying the camera-focused vision—internally tracked under codename B798—has slipped to late 2027 at the earliest. Apple frequently runs parallel hardware tracks, evaluating multiple conceptual prototypes before committing to mass production. In this instance, the B798 optical variant has taken a backseat to a more pragmatic engineering alternative.
Decoding the B790: What to Expect from Apple’s Next Audio Refresh
Enter the B790. This alternative hardware build has outpaced the camera model in the development pipeline.
| Model Codenames | Proposed Feature Focus | Expected Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| B790 | Iterative audio upgrade (Camera-free) | Late 2026 |
| B798 | Advanced optical/camera integration | Late 2027 (Delayed) |
Ecosystem Strategy and the Wait for Spatial Vision
For consumers and enterprise users eyeing the next tier of wearable tech, 2026 will deliver a standard iteration upgrade rather than a vision-enabled sensor package.
