Apple is Reportedly Developing Multi-Colored, Siri-Powered Smart Glasses
In Focus
- Apple is designing the AI-powered glasses in-house
- The smart glasses could feature vertically oriented oval lenses
- Apple plans to launch Siri AI smart glasses this year
Apple is reportedly developing its first display-free smart glasses, with a possible launch at the end of this year or early 2027. The tech giant could also be developing about four frame designs for its Apple Siri-powered AI glasses. A report by Bloomberg showed that internally, the new wearable devices are codenamed “N50”.
Apple Smart Glasses to Sync with iPhones
Apple’s smart glasses are reportedly being designed to support day-to-day user needs. The smart glasses will feature speakers and microphones and sync with iPhones so users can listen to music, hear notifications, and take calls hands-free.
Apple plans to integrate Siri into its wearable devices. The iPhone maker is expected to reveal its revamped AI assistant in June 2026 alongside iOS 27. Like Meta Ray-Ban glasses, Apple is exploring ways to integrate camera systems into the glasses. One of the options could feature vertically oriented oval lenses surrounded by lights.
Apple’s camera system design would be a shift from the circular lens cut-outs used in Ray-Ban glasses. The camera system will enable users to capture videos and photos and share them with ease.
News about Apple’s Siri-powered smart glasses comes days after Snap’s subsidiary, Specs, partnered with Qualcomm to accelerate its AI glasses plans. The partnership will see Specs use Snapdragon system-on-a-chip technology to power Snap AI glasses.
In-House Design for Apple Smart Glasses
Instead of outsourcing, Apple is reportedly handling its smart glasses design in-house. The move is aimed at ensuring that the quality of the wearable devices is high-end. This approach is a departure from Meta’s, which has partnered with EssilorLuxottica to develop its Ray Ban smart glasses.
Samsung has also teamed up with Google and Qualcomm to make smart glasses, which the company plans to launch this year. Apple’s approach also differs from the one taken by these companies, which have enlisted Warby Parker to design frames for the smart glasses. The design team at Apple has reportedly developed four smart glasses styles.
The company is using acetate for the frames. Acetate is a premium material that is more luxurious and durable compared to the normal plastic that most brands use. Apple is considering various frame finishes for its wearable devices. The frames will likely come in multiple colours, including light brown, black, and ocean blue.
Apple has reportedly started testing its multi-design smart glasses. The company is currently subjecting four designs to tests, which are:
- A slim rectangular design, similar to CEO Tim Cook’s glasses
- A large rectangular frame design, similar to Ray-Ban Wayfarers
- Larger circular or oval frames
- Smaller, refined circular or oval option
What Next for Apple?
Smart glasses are part of Apple’s wider AI-powered wearable devices strategy. Other devices in the company’s strategy are a camera-equipped pendant and AirPods. The company is designing each wearable device to utilize computer vision to interpret surroundings and send contextual awareness data to Apple Intelligence.
The tech giant is expected to use this data to develop new features, including visual reminders and turn-by-turn map directions.
