Apple’s Smart Glasses Reportedly Pushed to Late 2027
▼ Summary
– Apple’s AI glasses are now expected to be released in late 2027, delayed from an earlier anticipated announcement in 2025 and early 2027 shipping due to development issues.
– Outgoing CEO Tim Cook strongly supports the glasses project, while incoming CEO John Ternus has led product development for the past two years.
– The glasses will feature oval-shaped cameras, unique colors, and multiple frame styles, with potential to evolve into a health device and incorporate augmented reality.
– Apple tested four frame designs: large rectangular, slim rectangular, large oval/circular, and small oval/circular styles.
– The glasses will include cameras, microphones, speakers, and a multimodal AI capable of responding to requests via Siri.
Those hoping to get their hands on a pair of Apple smart glasses will need to exercise more patience than anticipated. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech giant now plans to release its long-rumored AI-powered eyewear in “late 2027.” Earlier projections had the device being announced later this year, with shipments starting in early 2027. However, in his Power On newsletter published just over a week before Apple’s WWDC event, Gurman noted that development “bumps” have pushed the timeline back.
The smart glasses are considered a critical piece of Apple’s future product strategy. Gurman reports that outgoing CEO Tim Cook is a vocal advocate for the project, viewing it as his top priority. Meanwhile, John Ternus, who is set to succeed Cook in September, has been leading the product development team for the past two years and is described as the driving force behind the initiative.
To differentiate itself in a growing market, Apple is reportedly experimenting with distinctive design features. Gurman mentions “oval-shaped cameras, unique colors, and multiple frame styles.” He also notes that Apple sees the glasses eventually evolving into a health-focused device and, later, incorporating augmented reality capabilities that could enhance how people see the world.
In April, Gurman reported that Apple was testing several frame designs: a large rectangular style similar to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, a slimmer rectangular option, a larger oval or circular shape, and a smaller oval or circular alternative.
The smart glasses category remains in its infancy, according to March research from Counterpoint Research. The firm found that the market grew 139% year-over-year in the second half of 2025 compared to 2024. While Meta currently dominates the field, a wave of new smart eyewear with diverse features has been rolling out in 2026. Google and Samsung are among the companies expected to unveil new glasses soon.
Apple’s version is expected to include cameras for video and photo capture, microphones and speakers for calls, notifications, and music playback, as well as a multimodal AI that could handle requests through Siri. Apple representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Source: CNET)
