Apple has reportedly pushed back the launch of its anticipated AI-powered smart glasses to late 2027. The product was originally slated for announcement later this year, with shipments beginning in early 2027, but recent development challenges have caused delays, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. These smart glasses are a major part of Apple's long-term strategy for wearable tech. Outgoing CEO Tim Cook views the project as a major priority, and his successor, John Ternus, has been actively leading the development team for the past two years.
Gurman suggests that Apple aims to transform the wearable technology sector with the smart glasses in much the same way it revolutionised the market with smartwatches, which currently bring in around $17 billion each year.
Apple intends to differentiate its glasses through distinctive design, including oval-shaped cameras, appealing colours, and several frame options to appeal to diverse consumer tastes. Unlike Meta's circular camera design, Apple's version will likely use an ovular shape. Testing has included styles such as large rectangular frames like Ray-Ban Wayfarers, slimmer rectangles, and both larger and smaller oval or circular designs.
Positioned as a direct rival to Meta's glasses, Apple's smart glasses are expected to retail between $200 and $500. They will reportedly feature built-in cameras, speakers, and microphones to support video and photo capture, phone calls, music playback, podcast listening, and Siri voice interactions. Over time, Gurman says the glasses are expected to advance into health monitoring tools and eventually integrate augmented reality features that could enhance vision for users.
Apple's glasses are also likely to incorporate multimodal artificial intelligence capabilities, allowing it to handle complex requests through Siri while delivering audio and visual experiences.
The smart glasses market remains in its nascent phase but shows strong momentum. According to Counterpoint Research, the category expanded by 139% year-over-year during the second half of 2025.
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