Apple’s Camera-Equipped AirPods Pro Project Reportedly Suspended

Leaker Kosutami claims Apple has suspended development of the camera-equipped AirPods Pro. The project, internally codenamed H90, had been in development for roughly four years with a targeted early 2026 launch. Just two months ago, Bloomberg reported the headphones were in advanced testing with early mass production imminent.

The AirPods Pro were designed with low-resolution infrared cameras in each earbud — not for photos or video, but to feed visual information about the wearer’s surroundings to Siri. The goal: let Siri respond to what you’re looking at. Point your head at ingredients in a kitchen, and Siri serves up recipe suggestions. Gesture controls and integration with Apple Vision Pro were also on the table.

So why pause now?

Three factors appear to be at play. First, Siri’s Visual Intelligence quality isn’t where Apple wants it. The smarter AI version of Siri exists in the iOS 27 beta but won’t roll out widely until September. Second, an industry-wide memory chip shortage has complicated component sourcing. Third — and perhaps most critically — the EU’s privacy framework may make this product nearly impossible to launch in Europe. The device would collect biometric and environmental data in public spaces, requiring “explicit consent” from everyone in range — functionally impossible at scale. Meta’s smart glasses have already drawn regulatory fines for similar issues.

Apple hasn’t commented. Kosutami hasn’t clarified whether “suspended” means canceled or delayed. But with H90 reportedly this close to production, the pause signals something deeper: Apple’s AI ambitions are still outpacing its execution.

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