Apple is reportedly developing around four frame styles for its first pair of smart glasses. In a continued bid to compete with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, Apple is said to be testing high-end materials and a unique design to stand out in the market.
Word comes by way of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who says that Apple’s smart glasses may be made of a higher-end material called acetate. In the latest Power On newsletter, Gurman states that this material is “more durable and luxurious” than the plastics commonly used in other smart glasses designs.
Gurman also notes that Apple’s unannounced smart glasses may feature a rectangular design, similar to the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers. Additionally, there may be another design with slimmer rectangular frames, potentially as a nod to Apple CEO Tim Cook’s own glasses. Additionally, Apple is believed to be testing a style with larger oval or circular frames, as well as one with smaller circular frames.
Gurman claims that these designs will help Apple stand out amongst competitors. The designs are supposedly being referred to internally as the “icon” and will come in “many” colour options, Gurman says. Amongst the running, Apple is reportedly testing black, ocean blue, and light brown options.
Apple’s smart glasses are being developed to supposedly offer the traditional uses commonly seen in other similar products. The device uses computer vision technology to see the user’s surroundings and offer contextual information using integrations with the iPhone and Siri. Leveraging Apple Intelligence, the smart glasses use the built-in camera to interpret important information while in use.
Gurman describes the camera system as “vertically oriented oval lenses with surrounding lights.” This is a notable difference to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which use a circular design.
Apple’s smart glasses are expected to be revealed by the end of 2026 or early on in 2027. A release is then reported to be taking place in 2027. This device is a part of Apple’s larger AI wearable strategy.
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