Apples new macOS update reportedly contains a video of AirPods with a camera



In Brief Posted: 6:28 AM PDT · August 18, 2026 Image Credits:Brian Heater Apple seems to be already preparing launch materials for its upcoming AirPods with a camera, a leaked video in the latest macOS update spotted by MacRumors suggests. The video, found in macOS 26.7 RC, shows a man holding up a book and talking with Siri about it using visual information. “With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later,” the voiceover in the video says. MacRumous reports that these new AirPods have a camera that can be used to examine objects in front of the user and answer questions about it. The publication apparently found a line in the software code that suggests the AirPods will notify you if your hair or something else is covering the camera. In May, Bloomberg reported that Apple was in the late stages of testing such a device. The report said the camera-equipped AirPods would look like the AirPods Pro 3, but will have a longer stem and an LED light to indicate that data is being sent to the cloud. Other devices, like the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, Looki pendant, and smart glasses from Rokid, already do something similar. This might be Apple’s move to embed real-world intelligence into devices before it launches smart glasses of its own. Bloomberg noted that Apple wanted to release the new AirPods in the first half of 2026, but now that it will ship the new Siri in September, it will look to launch them along with the operating system updates. Topics Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news Latest in Gadgets

After trying and failing to delay the matter, Apple on Thursday submitted its proposal for the commissions it wants to charge on purchases made using external links inside apps on its iOS devices. In a new filing in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, Apple proposed new commissions of 15% for standard apps, with further discounts for developers who are enrolled in special Apple programs. Under the proposed structure, small business developers would pay a 5% commission on payments, while those in the Video Partner Program, News Partner Program, and Mini Apps Partner Program would pay 10%. Subscription renewals would also be reduced to 10%, the filing states. The iPhone maker has been engaged in a years-long legal battle with Epic Games over its alleged anti-competitive policies regarding App Store commissions, and had been attempting to stall its answer to the court’s request for this part of its commission structure. Apple tried to argue that these lower court proceedings should wait until the Supreme Court ruled on another matter related to the case: Whether or not Apple was in contempt of a court order when it imposed a new 27% commission on purchases made through external links, and imposed rules that restricted how developers could present those links to customers. The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected Apple’s bid to pause further action in the lower court’s case, forcing the company to reveal its planned commission structure. Apple’s position is that it should be permitted to charge fees on in-app purchases made by users of its devices as a means to recoup its investments in the tools, technology, and services that allow it to maintain its App Store and software. The company also compared its link-out fees to those on Google Play, which charges 20% link-out rates for standard apps, 15% for apps in special programs, and 10% for subscription renewals, noting that Epic Games had agreed to these rates. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Sarah has worked as a reporter for TechCrunch since August 2011. She joined the company after having previously spent over three years at ReadWriteWeb. Prior to her work as a reporter, Sarah worked in I.T. across a number of industries, including banking, retail and software. You can contact or verify outreach from Sarah by emailing sarahp@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at sarahperez.01 on Signal. View Bio
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