Apple Sets Sights on Smart Glasses Launch as AI Competition Heats Up

Apple Inc. is reportedly aiming to launch its smart glasses by the end of 2026, marking a new venture in the artificial intelligence-enhanced device market. This strategic move comes as the company halts plans for a smart watch equipped with built-in cameras designed to analyze the surrounding environment. The anticipated release will position Apple against competitors like Meta's popular Ray-Ban smart glasses.

In pursuit of the 2026 launch target, Apple's engineering team is intensifying development efforts for the smart glasses. The product is expected to feature cameras, microphones, and speakers, capable of environmental analysis and command execution through Siri. Functions such as calling, music playback, real-time translation, and navigation will be supported. This innovation is projected to deliver superior quality compared to existing Meta products. Although initially coded as N50, the project now falls under the N401 category. Nevertheless, Apple's plans are not definitive, having previously shelved several projects.

In addition to smart glasses, Apple has explored incorporating cameras into smart watches and AirPods to enhance environmental data collection. However, insiders have reported that plans to debut Apple Watch with cameras by 2027 have been abandoned this week. Despite this setback, the development of camera-equipped AirPods continues.

Despite trailing in the AI sector with its Apple Intelligence platform released last year, Apple's current efforts are directed towards catching up by opening its extensive language model to external developers. This initiative aims to introduce a myriad of AI-enhanced third-party applications to the App Store. Concurrently, Apple faces heightened competition in AI devices, with OpenAI announcing a partnership with former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive to launch hardware products starting next year.