Apple has set its sights on the fast-growing smart glasses category. But the company won’t ship its first pair until late 2027. That timeline, pushed back from earlier expectations, comes as Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses rack up sales. They also draw sharp criticism over how they capture the world around them.
Mark Gurman first reported the shift in Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter. Developmental snags forced the change. Apple now plans to unveil the glasses late this year or early next. Actual availability follows in 2027. Ming-Chi Kuo, a longtime supply-chain analyst, reached the same conclusion months earlier.
The product carries the internal code name N50. It looks nothing like the bulky Vision Pro headset. Instead these resemble ordinary eyewear. No display sits inside the lenses. At least not yet. Users pair the frames with an iPhone. The phone handles heavy processing. Built-in cameras, microphones and speakers let wearers snap photos, record video, take calls, listen to music or podcasts, and talk to an improved Siri.
Price points could run from $200 to $500. Apple intends to offer multiple frame styles. Four designs are already under test. The cameras themselves appear ovular rather than the circular lenses Meta chose. That small detail signals Apple’s desire to stand apart. But the core proposition mirrors what Meta already sells. Hands-free capture. Voice commands. AI assistance.
Meta’s Early Lead Exposes the Privacy Cost
Meta moved first. Its Ray-Ban Meta glasses now command more than 80 percent of the AI-equipped smart glasses market. Shipments of the category jumped 139 percent in the second half of 2025, according to Counterpoint Research data cited by the BBC. Millions of pairs now sit on faces worldwide. Yet the devices spark growing alarm.
Critics call them an invasion of privacy. The glasses can record video and audio without bystanders noticing. A small LED indicator is supposed to light up during capture. Many people never spot it. Lawsuits have followed. Women reported being filmed without consent. Some faced extortion demands afterward. One Swedish investigation revealed that Meta sent user videos to contractors in Kenya for AI training. Those contractors described seeing intimate moments. Naked bodies. People in bathrooms. Even credit card details. The report, published by Svenska Dagbladet, sent shock waves through the industry.
And the problems don’t stop there. Meta updated its privacy policy in 2025. Footage stored on a user’s phone stays local until shared with the cloud or AI features. Once uploaded, it enters Meta’s systems. Human reviewers see it. Law enforcement can request it. The Electronic Frontier Foundation warned consumers to think twice before buying. The group pointed to Meta’s long history of privacy controversies and rumors the company wants to add facial recognition.
Civil rights organizations sent open letters to Meta and regulators. They urged strict limits on the technology. One expert told the BBC, “Technology like this is fundamentally an invasion of privacy and it’s really going to face more and more backlash.” Sales keep climbing anyway. The convenience wins out for many buyers.
Apple enters this charged atmosphere with a different reputation. The company built its brand on privacy protections. On-device processing. Clear consent prompts. Limited data collection. Executives insist those values will shape the new glasses. Yet the hardware itself creates the same risks. Any camera worn on the face can record bystanders. Apple’s version won’t escape that reality.
Gizmodo explored the tension in an April report. The publication noted that even a privacy-focused company faces a “giant risk” with camera-equipped glasses. Apple could set higher standards. It might avoid using user videos to train AI models. It could make the recording indicator brighter or add audible alerts. But details remain scarce. The company has stayed silent on official plans.
Recent coverage shows the debate hasn’t cooled. A May 2026 Next Web article described the coming wave of devices from Apple, Google and Snap. Each will carry cameras. Each will intensify the clash between utility and bystander rights. Sales forecasts predict the category will grow from 6 million units in 2025 to 20 million in 2026. Apple’s entry arrives just as the market scales.
Tim Cook made development of these wearables his top priority. He hands day-to-day responsibility to John Ternus on September 1. The shift suggests the project carries strategic weight. Apple already earns about $17 billion a year from smartwatches. Success here could create another major product line. Failure would echo the Vision Pro’s slow start.
But success brings complications. If millions wear camera glasses, public spaces change. Social norms strain. Some cities or venues may ban them outright. Others could require clear indicators or even licensing. Regulators in Europe and elsewhere already eye stricter rules for wearable recording devices.
So Apple must thread a narrow path. Deliver compelling features that justify the purchase. Maintain its privacy-first image. Avoid the scandals that plagued Meta. The ovular camera design might look less obtrusive. Multiple fashion-forward frames could drive broader adoption. Tight integration with iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch creates a powerful ecosystem no rival matches.
Yet the fundamental issue persists. A device on your face that sees everything you see records the lives of everyone around you. Consent becomes difficult to obtain at scale. Technical safeguards help only so much. Cultural acceptance may decide the outcome.
Industry watchers note that younger users already express wariness. Gen Z surveys show declining tolerance for always-on cameras in public. That sentiment could harden as more products launch. Or it could fade if the benefits feel irresistible. Meta’s continued sales growth suggests many simply don’t mind.
Apple’s glasses won’t include a heads-up display at first. Full augmented reality versions remain years away. The initial model focuses on audio, capture and voice. That restraint may ease some concerns. It also limits the wow factor compared with Meta’s newer display-equipped pairs.
Competitors fill the gap. Snap prepares its next Specs model. Google partners with Warby Parker. Samsung explores its own options. A small startup called Nothing even eyes a 2027 launch. The field grows crowded before Apple arrives.
Still, Apple’s brand power and installed base give it an edge. If the company prices the glasses accessibly and nails the fit and finish, adoption could mirror AirPods. Those wireless earbuds turned a niche category mainstream. Smart glasses sit at a similar inflection point. The difference is the camera. And the privacy storm it brings.
Developers and analysts expect Apple to emphasize on-device intelligence. Local AI that doesn’t ship raw footage to the cloud. Strong encryption. Easy ways to disable sensors. Whether those measures satisfy critics or lawmakers is another question. The AppleInsider report on the latest delay noted the project faces real engineering hurdles. Camera placement, battery life, thermal management and wireless performance all demand attention.
Privacy advocates hope Apple uses the extra time to get those details right. They want hardware that protects both the wearer and the people the wearer encounters. Anything less invites the same backlash Meta endures. And Apple rarely accepts second place in reputation battles.
The coming years will test whether smart glasses can mature beyond novelty or surveillance tool. Apple’s late entry might give the industry time to address the hardest questions. Or it might simply add millions more cameras to daily life. The stakes are clear. The outcome is not.
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