Apple plans to launch its first smart glasses by the end of 2026, which is earlier than expected, targeting the growing market for AI-driven wearables. At the same time, the company has scrapped its project to build a smartwatch with a built-in camera. The move signals a strategic shift as Apple focuses on AI-powered consumer devices, stepping away from camera-based smartwatches that faced technical and privacy challenges.
Bloomberg reports that the smart glasses will include built-in cameras, microphones, and speakers. They’ll support voice commands via Siri and perform tasks such as handling phone calls, playing music, translating languages in real time, and offering navigation. Apple engineers are preparing to begin large-scale prototype production with overseas suppliers later this year.
Apple’s Response to AI Hardware Competition
The new product positions Apple against Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses and future devices using Google’s Android XR system. Internally labeled N401, the glasses are part of a broader push by Apple’s Vision Products Group. While the ultimate goal remains AR spectacles with built-in displays, that version is still years away.
Apple has previously explored AI-integrated hardware across its product lines. Projects included smartwatches and AirPods with cameras, aimed at capturing environmental data. However, the company recently canceled its plan to release a camera-equipped Apple Watch by 2027. AirPods with cameras are still under development.
Our recent reports highlight key innovations tied to Apple’s upcoming smart glasses, including potential support for tap-based focus adjustments and integration with AI models like FastVLM, which could enhance real-world visual recognition, aligning with Apple’s broader push into AI-powered wearables.
Foldables and Future Devices
In addition to smart glasses, Apple is preparing to enter the foldable phone segment in late 2026, aligning with a market many of its rivals have already embraced. The company is also developing new designs for 2027 and exploring lower-cost versions of the Vision Pro headset, including a model that tethers to Macs for low-latency applications.
As reported by Bloomberg, Apple is investing in custom chips for smart glasses and plans to mass-produce them as early as next year. The company’s internal concerns remain focused on catching up in AI, where competitors like Meta and Google lead with more advanced platforms such as Llama and Gemini. Apple currently relies on Google Lens and OpenAI’s models for real-world visual processing through iPhones, but it aims to bring this capability in-house for its future devices.
With competition intensifying and user expectations rising, Apple is under pressure to deliver meaningful innovation. Its smart glasses will be a key test of whether the company can maintain relevance in the next wave of consumer tech.