Apple is preparing to enter the smart glasses market with a device that prioritises user privacy, aiming to sidestep the concerns that have dogged rival products. The company plans to unveil its smart glasses at WWDC in June 2027, with a commercial release later that year — coinciding with the iPhone's 20th anniversary.
Apple has been testing various smart glasses prototypes for at least three years, according to supply-chain reports and patent filings. Internal teams are exploring on-device processing, dropping facial recognition, and building new hardware and software privacy features. One prototype under review eliminates the camera entirely, while another limits cameras to AI queries without capturing photos or video.
The cautious approach reflects concern over Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, which launched in 2021 with a small LED recording indicator that critics say is easily ignored. Privacy fears have already led to bans in New York courts, casinos, and children's areas on Royal Caribbean cruises, while stricter regulations like the EU's GDPR impose severe penalties for unauthorised data collection.