Apple may take on Meta, Google with AI glasses early next year | Technology News
4 min readNew DelhiJul 27, 2026 09:21 AM Apple plans to debut its artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses during its developer conference in June next year, Bloomberg reports.
The iPhone maker is “currently aiming” to introduce the new glasses to developers for the first time at the event, which suggests the device could hit the market, in time for the holiday shopping season.
Cupertino has been working on smart glasses for years, but the division responsible for the device has undergone several internal changes. Earlier reports suggested that Apple planned to release the glasses sometime this year, but the timeline now appears to have been pushed back due to privacy-related concerns.
Privacy-focused glasses
Apple has made internal changes to both the hardware and software to address privacy issues that critics have long associated with smart glasses. The company is reportedly testing a version of the glasses without cameras. However, it is also considering a software-based approach that includes a full camera system while disabling the ability to capture photos or record videos. Under this approach, the cameras would be used solely to perceive the user’s surroundings and feed that data into AI-powered features. Apple may also be using the same technology in the upcoming AirPods.
Clearly, Apple does not want to take the same route as Meta. Its smart glasses have raised significant privacy concerns. Because Meta’s AI glasses look like regular sunglasses or prescription frames, they can be difficult to identify. Users can make phone calls, follow maps, and interact with AI assants completely hands-free. The controversial feature, however, is the built-in camera, which can capture photos and record videos. There have been multiple instances of people being secretly filmed and having those recordings posted online without their consent.
Meta is the leading player in the AI smart glasses category at present. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Apple’s AI glasses will follow Meta’s strategy
The new Apple glasses are expected to feature a camera, microphone, and speakers, similar to Meta’s AI glasses, while also providing access to the Siri voice assant. This would put Apple’s AI glasses in direct competition with Meta’s AI glasses. Meta’s glasses are currently the most popular in the market, accounting for an estimated 80 per cent of global AI or smart glasses sales. The company gained an early advantage entering the market before its rivals, and that bet appears to have paid off, making Meta the first major tech company to launch a mainstream AI-powered smart glasses product in recent years. Developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the glasses also benefit from the iconic design of Ray-Ban frames. Internationally, Meta’s AI glasses are priced upwards of $299 (or approx Rs 28,764).
Samsung is gearing up to launch its first smart glasses later this year. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Tech industry bets on a new wave of smart glasses
Apple isn’t the only company betting on smart glasses, a product category that many believe has the potential to become as big as smartphones over the next decade. Snap has said it will launch a new version of its smart glasses, called Specs, later this year. Snap’s glasses will focus on augmented reality (AR) technology but come at a higher price of $2195 (or approx Rs 211, 165) Google, too, is looking to re-enter the smart glasses market more than a decade after the failure of Google Glass. The company withdrew the device from the consumer market within two years of its launch after the expensive gadget faced widespread criticism over privacy concerns. Google is now working with Samsung to launch a new pair of AI-powered smart glasses later this year.
