Apple is set to make a breakthrough in the realm of AI-powered wearables, as its very first smart glasses will hit the market in late 2026. Apple is making a big push here, making it directly competitive with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, as the battle to define the next generation of wearable tech gains pace.
Faster Than Expected and Wider AI Implications
As reported by Bloomberg, Apple is speeding up development work, renaming its in-house project from “N50” to “N401.” This change is part of a larger effort to move into AI-centric hardware. Mass production will start with foreign suppliers by the end of 2025, which indicates Apple’s intent to seriously make a dent in this new territory.
But don’t anticipate an all-out augmented reality experience—at least, not immediately. Apple’s initial version of smart glasses will concentrate on useful, AI-facilitated capabilities that incorporate naturally into people’s everyday routines.
Wiser Features, More Convenient Integration
According to PYMNTS, the glasses will have cameras, microphones, speakers, and Siri support for users to answer phone calls, play music, receive live translations, and receive turn-by-turn directions—entirely hands-free.
Picture yourself walking down a crowded street and being able to take a call, receive turn-by-turn directions, or interpret a conversation without having to take your phone out.
Driven by Apple’s Own AI Technology
Apple is also working on a specialized chip for the glasses to provide seamless, responsive performance. The smart glasses will be based on Apple’s internal AI models, instead of connecting to Meta’s Llama or Google’s Gemini, allowing the company to maintain greater control over performance as well as privacy.
According to TechEBlog, capabilities will be photo taking, video recording, translation in real time, visual feedback, and voice query management. That’s quite an impressive set of abilities for a first-generation device.
Style Meets Functionality
In characteristic Apple style, aesthetics continue to be high on the agenda. The glasses should look like traditional Ray-Ban frames but with Apple’s own style and luxury finish. From MacRumors, an Apple insider said they were like Meta’s glasses, but “better constructed.”
Comfort, robustness, and close integration with the iPhone ecosystem will be central to the product’s selling points.
A Stepping Stone Toward AR Glasses
While Apple’s end vision is for completely augmented reality glasses, it is still a few years off. Until then, its efforts go toward fine-tuning basic features such as contextual AI, voice command, and lightweight.
As TechWiser suggests, these glasses will be something more than camera-enabled eyewear—they will introduce AI-enhanced experiences that surpass what has come before with Apple Intelligence.
Part of a Larger Wearables Strategy
Smart glasses are only one aspect of Apple’s wider research into AI-powered wearables. Even as the company abandoned development of a camera-enabled Apple Watch, work on AirPods with heightened environmental awareness remains ongoing, Bloomberg reports.
Meanwhile, Apple’s rivals are not idle. Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses are taking off, and Google is collaborating with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to introduce Android XR-powered eyewear that blends technology and fashion. Samsung, Amazon, Snap, Baidu, and Xiaomi are also making significant investments here.
Looking Ahead
Apple’s foray into smart glasses also addresses criticism that the company has been lagging in AI innovation. Although the Apple Intelligence platform is promising, it still lags behind platforms such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini. Nonetheless, by opening up its AI models to third-party developers, Apple could potentially spark a new revolution of AI-driven apps via the App Store.
The project is overseen by Apple’s Vision Products Group—the same group that developed the Vision Pro headset—so they bring a great deal of experience to the table. The challenge is fitting all the major features into a small, comfortable package that Apple would be willing to stand behind.
As TechWiser so succinctly puts it, “It’ll be interesting to see how Apple manages to pack all the features into a lightweight and comfortable design—unlike the bulky Vision Pro.”
As competition increasingly gets fierce and the wearables space continues to grow rapidly, Apple’s unique smart glasses may represent a defining moment in the company’s path into AI hardware.