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Apple’s product lineup is not small: the company makes smartphones, tablets, computers, headphones, and smart watches, among many other products. But with the exception of the Vision Pro, it has been a bit late to entering the headset and smart glasses market – while other companies, namely Meta, have gone full force on their smart wearable technology. But as anyone who follows tech rumors will know, Apple Is Is working on its own smart glasses – four glasses, actually.
In the latest edition of their Power On newsletterBloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that Apple is working on not just one design, but four, for its upcoming smart glasses. According to Gurman, there are two main designs, each offering a thinner or smaller version. They include the following:
Gurman says all four models will use acetate instead of plastic, which could make the glass more “durable and luxurious” than similar options from other companies. The company is planning on multiple finishes and color options, and these may include black, sea blue, and light grey. According to Gurman, the goal here is to design something “instantly recognizable”, what Apple calls an “icon”. Think Apple’s AirPods, the Apple Watch: these products don’t really look like anything else on the market, so when you see them, you immediately know what they are and who makes them. Instead of developing smart glasses that look like anyone else’s like the Meta Ray-Bans, the company wants you to know that these are Apple Glasses you’re looking at.
Functionally, Apple’s smart glasses should be similar to Meta Ray-Bans: You’ll be able to take photos and videos, sync with your iPhone, take phone calls, receive incoming notifications, listen to music, and chat with Siri hands-free: presumably, Apple’s AI-powered assistant, assuming the company actually releases it with iOS 27. Gurman says the glasses will be paired with Apple’s upcoming AirPods and a new pendant device, both of which could come with embedded cameras with AI assistance.
What do you think so far?
My big question for Apple here is with respect to privacy: Smart glasses aren’t necessarily a privacy enthusiast’s dream design, as they subtly embed cameras in the frame. You can walk around without people noticing, taking pictures and recording videos of them, without drawing as much attention as you would if you were holding your smartphone. Gurman doesn’t talk much about the issue, although he does say that Apple is taking a slightly different approach to camera design than the Meta: Unlike the circular camera design of the Meta Ray-Ban, Apple’s cameras can be vertical ovals with ambient light.
While smart glasses are selling, I still doubt they will take off in the same way smartphones did. There are benefits to having a hands-free smart device in the form of glasses, but smartphones offer far more functionality – at least, at the moment. Until we get to the point where AR technology makes heads-up displays for glasses as easy to use as the iPhone, I’m not sure people will embrace this technology en masse.
