Apple is aiming to release smart glasses by the end of 2026, according to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. These smart glasses will reportedly feature cameras, microphones, as well as speakers, which will allow the glasses to analyse their environment and let the wearer interact with Siri. As for functionality, the glasses will be able to handle tasks like phone calls, music playback, and navigation.
The long-term goal for the tech giant is to produce true AR glasses, but for the time being that remains a distant prospect, as Apple continues to struggle to keep up with its rivals in the AI department. Meta had seen some success with its Ray-Bans, and Google recently showed off its Android XR glasses at this year’s I/O.
That said, an individual familiar with Apple’s glasses told Bloomberg that the product will be similar to Meta’s offering, but “better made”. Of course, whether or not this is true remains to be seen as the glasses won’t be available until next year, provided the company stays on track. Apple will allegedly start producing large quantities of prototypes at the end of this year.
As the company ramps up work on the smart glasses, a few other endeavours have been shut down. Gurman’s sources noted that Apple had been working to release a camera-equipped Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra by 2027, but abandoned the project this week. On the other hand, AirPods with cameras are apparently still in the works.
(Source: Bloomberg)
