Apple Glasses could launch next year. Here’s what to expect

Not content with making some of the best smartphones and laptops, Apple looks set to bring out its own smart glasses, bringing the fight straight to the likes of the Ray-Ban Meta (pictured above) and Google/Samsung. Trouble is, it sounds like you’ll have to wait a little while longer to don them.

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According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s first smart glasses are now targeting a launch in late 2027 after reportedly slipping from an earlier early-2027 timeframe. The report also offers a clearer idea of what these might actually look like when they land.

Apple’s first-generation glasses are expected to focus on simpler features, with built-in cameras for capturing photos and videos, speakers for listening to music, microphones for taking calls, and Siri-powered voice controls. The glasses could also offer turn-by-turn walking directions, making them feel more like an extension of your iPhone than a standalone computing platform.

According to Gurman, Apple is experimenting with several frame designs, ranging from Wayfarer-style rectangular frames, to smaller circular options. Multiple colours are also reportedly being tested, including black, light brown, and a shade of ocean blue. The cameras themselves may also sit inside vertically oriented oval-shaped modules built into the frame.

Gurman says that the company’s initial glasses won’t feature augmented reality displays inside the lenses, despite years of speculation about Apple AR glasses. Those more advanced capabilities are still believed to be several years away.

He also claims that the glasses have become a major priority inside Apple, with Tim Cook reportedly viewing the project as one of the company’s most important future products. That might help explain why Apple is still chasing the category despite the long development timeline and repeated delays.

There’s still plenty of time for plans to change between now and 2027, but if this latest report is accurate, Apple’s first smart glasses aren’t too far off, relatively speaking, at least.

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Esat Dedezade Contributor

About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.