Apple is expected to refresh its entry-level AirPods this fall, and the timing lines up nicely with the company’s iPhone launch event. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the AirPods 5 could debut around the same September 9 event that brings the foldable iPhone and iPhone 18 Pro lineup. It’s about time too, since the current AirPods 4 haven’t been updated since their September 2024 launch. If you have been holding onto an older pair waiting for the right moment to upgrade, this might finally be it.
macOS 26.7 gives more weight to the launch rumors
As MacRumors reported, the AirPods 5 models showed up as references inside the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, spotted a day after a separate report flagged a wave of unreleased Apple devices hiding in the same update.
The new earbuds carry the internal codenames B868M and B868E, which likely stand for the standard AirPods 5 and the Active Noise Cancellation version. For context, the current AirPods 4 use the codenames B768M and B768E, so the naming pattern checks out.
We still don’t know much about what’s actually changing under the hood, but there’s a decent chance Apple upgrades the H3 chip, which could mean better sound quality and lower latency. MacRumors also noted that the same software update referenced an unreleased Beats Solo Buds model, so there’s clearly more in the pipeline than just AirPods.
What about the camera-equipped AirPods?
A leaked video from a developer build of macOS showed the camera-equipped earbuds working with Apple’s Visual Intelligence feature, but Gurman says that model is still on track for 2027, not this year.
Supply chain and software issues have reportedly pushed back the launch. And when they do arrive, the cameras won’t work like typical cameras. They’re expected to use low-resolution sensors built to scan your surroundings, not snap photos. Either way, it looks like AirPods fans have a busy year or two ahead.