top of page
Search

Apple Smart Glasses May Arrive by 2027 with AI and Camera Features

What you need to Know

  • Apple is actively developing a pair of lightweight and affordable smart glasses.

  • The smart glasses are expected to compete directly with Meta Ray-Ban glasses.

  • Apple’s silicon design team is building a custom chip specifically for these glasses.

  • Two variants are under consideration - one with AR features and one without.

  • Mass production of the chip is expected to begin by late 2026 or early 2027.

  • The Apple smart glasses could officially launch around the same time.


Apple Smart Glasses

Apple has had an on-and-off rumor that the company has been working on a pair of smart glasses, and fresh news now indicates that the project is coming along as the company's initial work progresses favorably. Early in 2025, some leaks were reported to the effect that Apple was concentrating on developing lightweight yet low-cost smart glasses arguably a rival of the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. In contrast to the heavy-duty mixed reality Vision Pro headset, these smart glasses should be more of a mass-market wearable that is usable daily. Now, a fresh Bloomberg report illuminates Apple's efforts and even drops some hints regarding the potential release schedule for the highly anticipated gadget.


Custom Apple Chip to Power the Smart Glasses

Apple's in-house silicon design team, as per Bloomberg, has made significant progress in developing a custom chip for the smart glasses. Interestingly, the chip would be based on the energy-saving architecture employed in the Apple Watch series and not the more powerful processors in iPhones or MacBooks. This is to ensure that Apple achieves the optimal balance between performance and battery life essential for wearable products. Sources say the chip has also been tailored to increase power efficiency, making it capable of providing critical features without consuming battery life quickly.



Support for Multi-Camera Functionality and AI Integration

Apple's engineering team is said to be stripping the chip of non-essential hardware while also upgrading it to accommodate multiple cameras. This upgrade means that Apple's smart glasses will feature multiple onboard cameras that can scan the environment, track gestures, and other smart capabilities. The hardware will be closely coupled with Apple's AI technologies to support intelligent functions like contextual awareness and real-time object recognition. In addition to that, Apple is said to be looking at two versions of the smart glasses: one having augmented reality features and another version that lacks those.


Variants with and Without AR Tech in Consideration

While the AR-capable version might provide more immersive digital overlays like what has been experienced in high-end headsets, the non-AR variant will likely be lighter in weight and price. This version will utilize its built-in cameras to scan environments and take advantage of Apple's AI to provide increased functionality like navigation directions, notifications, and context-based alerts without completely engaging users in a virtual environment. The Cupertino-based tech giant is reportedly still finalizing its strategy and use-case focus for the final product.


Expected Timeline for Mass Production and Launch

Internally referred to as N401, the Apple chip for Apple's smart glasses is expected to go into mass production sometime in late 2026 or early 2027. This expected timeline would corroborate speculations that Apple may officially launch or release the smart glasses during the same time. Though it is early in the development cycle for the product, the increasing activity on the custom chip suggests that Apple is building the foundations for an emerging new product category that fits in with its ecosystem of wearables, including the Apple Watch and AirPods.


With the fast progress in AI and wearable tech, Apple's smart glasses will have a good chance of becoming an important player in a market led by products such as Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses at the moment. In contrast to clunky AR headsets, Apple's vision seems to favor comfort, battery life, and effortless integration with iOS and Apple services. Successful execution, however, could potentially revolutionize how users engage with their digital world without having to take out their phones.

bottom of page