Apple’s sleek, simpler smart glasses without a display, internally dubbed as “N50”, will reportedly launch in 2027. The company is testing four designs for the wearable, in multiple finishes.
It will supposedly tightly integrate with the iPhone and Siri to offer an experience like no other.
Apple testing multiple smart glasses designs
For all the technological breakthroughs Vision Pro packed, it failed to sell in decent numbers. That’s not surprising, given its $3,500 price tag and size.
Apple’s upcoming smart glasses should deliver a similar experience in a much sleeker package. And if reports are to be believed, the company will unveil the smart glasses before the end of 2026.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, says that Apple is testing four designs for its upcoming smart glasses. It will seemingly launch “some or all of them,” with multiple color options.
The four design options in testing include
- A large rectangular frame, reminiscent of Ray-Ban Wayfarers
- A slimmer rectangular design, similar to the glasses worn by Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook
- Larger oval or circular frames
- A smaller, more refined oval or circular option
Apple smart glasses will stand out with premium materials
Additionally, Gurman sources working on the smart glasses project reveal that Apple will use high-end materials to build the device. The latest internal prototypes are apparently made using acetate, a more durable and luxurious material than plastic.
This is in sharp contrast with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, which EssilorLuxottica SA makes using plastic.
“One notable detail under consideration is the camera system: vertically oriented oval lenses with surrounding lights, a departure from the circular design seen in Meta’s products,” says Gurman in the newsletter.
Apple’s smart glasses will also have another advantage over competitors: deep integration with iPhone and Siri.
That may not seem like a big deal now, especially given Siri’s limitations. But, with the new Gemini-powered Siri, Apple could finally offer a Siri experience that’s on par with its rivals.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
