Highlights
- Apple’s AirPods Pro 4 may feature built-in cameras or infrared sensors to enable spatial awareness.
- These upgrades could enhance spatial audio with Vision Pro integration.
- These AirPods are expected to retain the current $249 price tag or launching as a high-end variant of AirPods Pro 3.
Apple’s next-generation AirPods Pro could introduce a major hardware leap by adding cameras. While this is not the first time we have heard about this upgrade, the latest claim comes from a leaker and prototype collector. And the tipster suggests that Apple is exploring visual sensing capabilities inside its premium wireless earbuds. Here’s more on that
Next AirPods Pro in 2026 with Cameras?
In a post on X, leaker and prototype collector named Kosutami @Kosutami_Ito stated that the upcoming AirPods Pro will be able to see the wearer’s surroundings, likely through cameras embedded in each earbud.
Next AirPods Pro can see around you. At same price avail.
— Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) February 8, 2026
This aligns with earlier commentary from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has said that the 2026 AirPods Pro will feature a “more significant” hardware upgrade. Kuo did specify Apple could include at least one tiny infrared camera.
Kuo previously explained that AirPods equipped with infrared cameras could enable hand gesture recognition and deliver a more immersive spatial audio experience when paired with Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
AirPods Pro 4 High-End Variant
Kosutami also claimed that the camera-equipped AirPods Pro will retain the same $249 price tag as the current model. This differs from earlier rumours suggesting that the next AirPods Pro would arrive as a secondary version of the AirPods Pro 3 later this year, coexisting with the existing model.
Currently, Apple’s AirPods range spans multiple price points including $129, $179, $249, and $549. This leaves room for an additional product positioned between the $249 AirPods Pro 3 and the $549 AirPods Max.
The Chinese leaker “Instant Digital” has supported reports of infrared cameras being added to future AirPods Pro models, while also offering further clarification. According to this leak, the 2026 AirPods Pro may not be an entirely new generation. Instead, they could launch as a more expensive, high-end variant of the AirPods Pro 3, which are expected to debut in 2025. If accurate, both models could be sold simultaneously.
Such a strategy would not be unprecedented. Apple already sells two versions of the AirPods 4 at $129 and $179, making a tiered AirPods Pro lineup a realistic possibility.
Launch Timeline
Back in September 2025, Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple plans to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual, as Apple typically waits around three years before making major hardware changes to its AirPods lineup.
For reference, AirPods Pro 2 launched alongside the iPhone 14 in September 2022 and later received a USB-C charging case update in September 2023, without a full redesign.
FAQs
Q1. What new feature is expected in the AirPods Pro 4?
Answer. Leaks suggest Apple may add built-in cameras or infrared sensors to the 2026 AirPods Pro, enabling spatial awareness and gesture recognition.
Q2. How would camera-equipped AirPods Pro improve user experience?
Answer. Infrared cameras could allow hand gesture controls and deliver a more immersive spatial audio experience, especially when paired with Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
Q3. When are the next AirPods Pro models expected to launch?
Answer. Apple is rumoured to release AirPods Pro 3 in 2025, followed by a camera-equipped AirPods Pro 4 in 2026, potentially as a high-end variant sold alongside existing models.