All articles tagged with #visual intelligence
A short video in macOS 26.7 RC reportedly shows AirPods with cameras and the Visual Intelligence feature in action, fueling rumors of a camera-equipped AirPods (codename B790) that could be announced at Apple's next iPhone event, with a separate B798 model eyed for 2027.
MacRumors reports that Apple’s camera-enabled AirPods (codename B790) appear in macOS Tahoe 26.7 RC, with a demo showing Visual Intelligence feeding Siri, which can answer questions about the wearer’s surroundings and log information. The system also prompts alerts if the AirPods are covered. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has suggested a September launch at an iPhone-focused event, with references to other unreleased Apple products found in the RC.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Macworld's Filipe Espósito report that Apple plans up to three Ultra-branded products—iPhone Ultra (a foldable phone), AirPods Ultra with infrared cameras for Siri Visual Intelligence, and MacBook Ultra with an OLED touchscreen and upgraded chips—to launch between late 2026 and early 2027. The iPhone Ultra is expected to debut in September alongside iPhone 18 Pro/Max, with price estimates around $1,999–$2,499. AirPods Ultra could arrive as soon as this year, leveraging a hands-free Siri experience, while MacBook Ultra is slated for early 2027, featuring a thinner design, Dynamic Island, and potential built-in 5G.
macOS Golden Gate public beta brings Siri AI, Visual Intelligence, and other AI-powered features to testers, including a Write with Siri tool for drafting/editing, iPhone Mirroring, and an updated UI with a Liquid Glass slider and edge-to-edge sidebars. Safari gains AI-driven extensions and smarter tab grouping, while overall performance and indexing are improved (Spotlight, Mail, Messages). The beta requires an M1+ Mac (and an A18 Pro MacBook Neo for some features), backups are advised, and Siri AI isn’t yet available in the EU or China during the rollout.
iOS 27 beta 2 includes a codename (B790) linked to AirPods with cameras and Visual Intelligence, suggesting a fall launch alongside the iPhone’s 20th anniversary; Bloomberg’s B798 may reflect a different development stage, and Apple reportedly delayed the product due to software issues while aiming for Siri-driven context awareness without needing to pull out an iPhone.
The second iOS 27 developer beta uncovers code for a device codenamed B790 that can relay two camera streams from the sides of a user’s head, fueling talk of camera-equipped wearables. While Apple’s AirPods Ultra and smart glasses are both rumored, Bloomberg notes a late-2027 launch window, and Visual Intelligence could power the on‑device Siri-enabled camera features in iOS 27 accessed through a new Camera app mode to identify landmarks, text, and objects.
Apple’s iOS 27 expands the Wallet app with seven new features, including richer pass formats and a new Pass Designer, a Create a Pass tool powered by Visual Intelligence, enhanced hotel keys with trip details, AI-assisted bill splitting, an Insights spending monitor, expanded order tracking to Australia and Canada, and Tap to Share for faster digital checkout (Visual Intelligence requires iPhone 15 Pro or newer).
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple’s camera-equipped AirPods are now expected to launch in late 2027, alongside a second-generation foldable iPhone and the 20th‑anniversary iPhone. The devices reportedly include external indicator lights on the stems to show cloud data activity, and the built-in cameras would fuel Siri’s “Visual Intelligence” for more context‑aware responses, enabling features like contextual reminders and walking directions. Apple may also delay the AirPods Ultra if AI readiness isn’t met.
iPadOS 27 brings Siri AI and Apple Intelligence to iPad with note indexing for handwritten and typed text, a new Write with Siri workflow, and an Image Playground with Image Wand in Notes for photorealistic visuals. Visual Intelligence expands to iPad for things like nutritional info and plant/animal identification, Shortcuts can auto-generate AI-powered automations, and Safari gains AI-assisted extensions and tab grouping. The update also emphasizes performance—faster browsing, AirDrop, app launches, and multitasking—with a Liquid Glass opacity control and the ability to resize iPhone apps on iPad. Availability is limited to iPads with an M-series chip or the A17 Pro iPad mini; EU users won’t get Siri AI on iPad at launch and it won’t be available in China. Older iPads will get performance improvements but not Siri AI or Apple Intelligence.
Apple is upgrading Visual Intelligence in iOS 27 by moving it into the Camera app with a new Siri Mode that analyzes what you see, suggests smart actions (nutritional insights, bill splitting, importing calendar events and contacts, Wallet passes) and can answer questions by pulling web data. The feature now works across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro, with device requirements including iPhone 15 Pro or newer (Mac with Apple silicon; iPad with Apple silicon or A17 Pro iPad mini).
iOS 27 expands Apple Intelligence across devices with a redesigned Siri (including a dedicated app), enhanced Visual Intelligence across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro, and upgraded Photos tools (Clean Up, Expand, Reframe). It also deepens integration in Safari, Passwords, Home and Shortcuts, with most features running on-device and a Private Cloud Compute layer for privacy. Availability targets iPhone 15 Pro, iPad with M1/A17 Pro, and Macs with M1/A18 Pro or newer, many features in English and still in beta, with a public beta this July and general release this fall, powered in part by Google Gemini models.
Antonio Di Benedetto tests Siri AI in macOS 27 Golden Gate’s developer beta for about 24 hours and finds it improves on Mac usage but remains limited: it can launch apps and analyze visible data, but can’t perform actions inside apps, struggles with non‑Apple content, and its Visual Intelligence often misreads data; overall, it’s a promising but very early step toward a more capable Mac assistant.
iOS 27 replaces Visual Intelligence in Camera Control with Siri mode, a dedicated shooting mode inside the Camera app, making it easier to switch to photo mode (swipe from Siri mode to photo mode) and preventing Visual Intelligence from hijacking the camera experience.
AirPods Pro with built-in AI cameras have moved into an advanced testing stage and could enter mass production soon. The cameras will feed visual information to Siri to answer questions about objects in view, without taking photos or videos, with a small LED indicator when data is being sent. The feature ties to Visual Intelligence in iOS 27, and Apple is aiming for a first-half-2026 launch, potentially under the AirPods Ultra or AirPods Pro with Cameras branding, depending on Siri readiness and quality.
Apple is set to unveil iOS 27 at WWDC 2026 (June 8), with features beyond a Siri upgrade, including 5G satellite internet (likely limited to the iPhone 18 Pro with a next‑gen C2 modem) and satellite-enabled Maps and Messages. The update reportedly emphasizes quality and performance, adds a system-wide Liquid Glass slider, a redesigned keyboard with expanded autocorrect, and introduces four Apple Intelligence features—Visual Intelligence for nutrition labels and contact data, Wallet ticket digitization, and automatic naming of Safari Tab Groups—expected to arrive on iPhone 15 Pro and newer, with more details expected to leak ahead of release.