Apple Reportedly Working on Smart Glasses with Built-In Cameras, AR Glasses in Development

Apple is reportedly developing smart glasses with built-in cameras, similar to Meta's Ray-Ban collaboration, with mass production of components expected to begin by late 2026 or 2027. The glasses will use custom chips and rely on Siri's conversational AI abilities. A separate AR glasses product with high-resolution displays is also in development, though still in early stages.

Apple is reportedly developing a new pair of smart glasses, set to compete with Meta's Ray-Ban collaboration. According to Bloomberg, mass production of components for these glasses could begin by late 2026 or 2027, hinting at a possible launch in 2027 [1]. The glasses will feature built-in cameras and microphones, similar to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, but with a focus on integrating Apple's Siri AI for voice commands and content interaction.

The smart glasses are expected to use custom chips based on those found in the Apple Watch, specifically tuned to handle input from multiple cameras. This suggests that the device may include more than one built-in lens. The glasses are also likely to incorporate Apple's "Visual Intelligence" system, which provides real-time contextual help by analyzing what the wearer is looking at [1].

Additionally, Apple is developing a separate AR glasses product with high-resolution displays, designed to enable immersive AR experiences. However, this version is still in the early development stages [1].

Apple's move puts it squarely in competition with Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, which already offer features like photo capture, voice commands, and music playback. The glasses are part of a broader push by Apple to turn wearables into AI-powered devices. Apple is working on separate chips—Nevis for the Apple Watch and Glennie for AirPods—that would enable cameras in both. All three devices are expected to include AI features built around real-world context recognition [2].

The development of these smart glasses aligns with Apple's strategy of building its silicon for all hardware tiers. The company is also working on future M6 and M7 chips for Macs and "Baltra," a dedicated AI server chip slated for 2027. These efforts reinforce Apple's commitment to integrating AI into its products [2].

References:
[1] https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/apple-to-expand-vision-line-with-meta-ray-ban-style-smart-glasses-report-125050900392_1.html
[2] https://www.macobserver.com/news/apple-ai-smart-glasses-to-rival-meta-ray-ban-coming-in-2027/