(Credit: Meta/Ray-Ban)
Apple’s next new product line after the MacBook Neo could be smart glasses that rival Meta Ray-Ban glasses. Rumors about the product have been swirling since last year, and the latest scoop says the company may be testing four different designs for the wearable.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is testing glasses with a large oval or circular frame, a smaller oval or circular option, a large rectangular frame like the regular Ray-Ban Wayfarers, and a slimmer rectangular frame, similar to CEO Tim Cook’s current glasses.
Unlike Meta’s glasses, whose frames are designed by Ray-Ban, Apple’s frames will be conceptualized by an in-house team. These frames will be made from acetate, not plastic, Gurman adds, noting that acetate offers greater durability and a more luxury appeal.
Apple’s initial plans were to build a lighter version of the Vision Pro headset, but the company began prioritizing smart glasses around October last year, according to Gurman. For now, the product is codenamed N50. These won’t have an in-lens display like the Meta Ray-Ban Display and are likely to rival the regular, screen-less Meta Ray-Ban (Gen 2) glasses, Gurman adds.
Apple’s smart glasses will be tightly integrated with iOS 27. Like Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses, they will be able to take pictures, record videos, send captured media to the iPhone, answer phone calls, hear notifications, play music, and interact with AI-powered Siri.
The voice assistant’s AI upgrade, demoed at WWDC 2024, is long overdue. After a series of lawsuits and prolonged delays, Apple promised to release the AI-equipped Siri this year. Gurman expects it to roll out with iOS 27.
The release timeline for the Apple smart glasses is unclear. Gurman says Apple may announce the product by the end of this year and make it available for customers next year. The company is also expected to launch its first-ever foldable iPhone later this year.