Apple tests four smart glasses designs for 2027 launch

Apple is testing four smart glasses designs and targets a 2027 launch, with a possible preview later this year, Mark Gurman said.

The designs include large and slim rectangular frames, plus larger and smaller oval or circular frames, with color options such as black, ocean blue, and light brown, he said.

The glasses are expected to ship without displays and instead focus on photos, video, calls, music, and Siri, putting them closer to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses than Apple’s Vision Pro after product delays and a lackluster reception for its mixed-reality headset.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Meta’s push is reshaping Apple’s wearable plans

Apple is moving away from a Vision Pro-first approach as Meta drives demand for smart glasses 1.
Meta has sold millions of AI-enabled Ray-Ban glasses, which suggests buyers want a simpler, lower-friction wearable 2.
Apple shifted teams that were building a cheaper, lighter Vision Pro-style headset onto a faster smart-glasses effort 1.
The device could arrive by 2027 with AI features, voice controls, and a camera. It may ship without a display, which puts it closer to Meta’s Ray-Ban-style glasses than Vision Pro 3.

Apple’s privacy stance clashes with camera-first glasses

AI smart glasses can create privacy problems for users and bystanders, and Meta has already run into them 4.
Meta faces a class-action lawsuit tied to claims that contractors in Kenya reviewed sensitive clips from the glasses, including nudity/sex and bathroom visits, for AI training or improvement. Sources also disputed whether face blurring worked reliably 5.
Human review often helps improve AI systems. The complaint also argues users cannot opt out of parts of the data pipeline 6.
Apple markets privacy as a selling point, so shipping similar technology without a data controversy will test that message as criticism of wearable cameras grows 5.