Apple's long-rumored smart glasses could be announced as early as late 2026 -- and the glasses might be difficult to spot.
According to reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in the Power On Newsletter, the company is developing glasses made with multiple frame styles and premium materials.
Initially, according to Gurman, Apple was aiming to create an immersive augmented reality experience.
However, the anticipated display-free smart glasses will be designed for tasks such as taking photos, handling calls and interacting with a voice assistant.
Gurman reported that the glasses are expected to be integrated closely with the iPhone and upcoming AI features, and Apple is experimenting with design elements that could make the glasses less visually distinct from standard frames.
The glasses are also expected to feature a distinctive camera system with vertically oriented oval lenses, surrounded by subtle lighting elements.
Apple is testing at least four different frame designs, according to Gurman, including rectangular styles and more rounded options.
The company is also considering multiple finishes and colors, which could make the glasses look more natural while still being distinctly Apple.
The device is expected to include cameras and sensors capable of capturing photos and video, enabling contextual awareness through artificial intelligence.
Unlike more advanced augmented reality headsets, these glasses will not feature built-in displays, focusing instead on audio feedback and smartphone connectivity.
Commenters on Reddit, however, are skeptical about smart glasses as a whole, and many called the idea of glasses with a built-in camera concerning.
"I feel infinitely better about a product like this from Apple than Meta, and even then it's still somewhat creepy," one user wrote.
"Society is very resistant to Meta glasses already; it is incredibly unsettling to want to walk around with cameras on your face," another user added.
[...] Big issue is people not trusting that they're unmodified, so they don't actually know if it's recording or not. If Apple can make it de facto impossible to mod out the activation light, it might be more accepted. But I think it'll still be an uphill battle.
However, one contributor could see a potential use: "I think a slept-on use case for these is sports/outdoor video recording. I think these would be awesome for recording bicycle rides, hiking, family outings, games, etc - would much rather throw a pair of sunglasses on than a full GoPro rig."
According to Gurman, an announcement about Apple's smart glasses could be coming in late 2026 or early 2027.