Apple is working on a new version of the AirPods Pro, which could come as soon as this year. The AirPods are expected to be a variant of the current AirPods Pro, which suggests they won't be called the AirPods Pro 4.
Cameras
Multiple sources have said Apple is developing AirPods Pro that have tiny infrared cameras. The cameras won't be used to take photos or videos like an iPhone camera, but will instead provide the AirPods with information about what's around the wearer.
Cameras could potentially provide data to a connected iPhone, improving Visual Intelligence and Siri features that are set to come out in iOS 27.
Gestures
The infrared cameras could recognize hand gestures, allowing music and other features to be controlled with hand movements.
The AirPods Pro already support head gestures for doing things like declining or accepting phone calls, and the addition of hand gestures could expand this functionality.
Apple could even remove pressure sensitivity from the stem of the AirPods Pro, making gestures the main control method.
Vision Pro Integration
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the cameras integrated into the AirPods Pro will upgrade the spatial audio experience when used with the Apple Vision Pro headset.
Naming
There is some disagreement about where the AirPods Pro with cameras will fit in the AirPods lineup, and what they will be called.
The AirPods Pro 3 came out in September 2025, and the new model with cameras isn't expected to be labeled AirPods Pro 4. Apple could just upgrade the AirPods Pro 3 with cameras and keep the name, or call them something like AirPods Pro 3 with Cameras.
Apple released two versions of the AirPods 4, one that has ANC and one that doesn't. The ANC model is named AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, so there is precedent for a straightforward AirPods Pro name.
Apple could also call the AirPods Pro with cameras the "AirPods Ultra," and that's what some rumors suggest will happen.
H3 Chip
It's possible that Apple will include a new H3 chip with camera-equipped AirPods Pro. Apple is working on a new chip, but the current AirPods Pro 3 launched with the same H2 chip that was in the AirPods Pro 2.
The H3 chip is expected to bring lower latency and improved audio quality.
Pricing
Some rumors suggest the AirPods Pro with cameras will be more expensive than the existing model, while others say they will be the same price. If Apple is planning to sell them for $249, the AirPods Pro with cameras would replace the current model. If they're more expensive at ~$299, they could be sold alongside the AirPods Pro 3.
Launch Date
A new version of the AirPods Pro with cameras could come out as soon as 2026, and if that launch timing is accurate, we'll likely see them introduced alongside new iPhone models in September.
