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Apple is working on a set of smart glasses to rival the Meta Ray-Bans, and now that Meta has debuted glasses that include a display, Apple wants to speed up development on its first-generation model. Work has stopped on the next Vision Pro so that Apple can prioritize getting the glasses to market.

Apple-Glasses-Yellow-Feature.jpg

They'll Be Fashion Forward

Like the initial versions of the Apple Watch, the Apple Glasses will be a fashion accessory rather than clunky frames with limited style availability.

Apple is planning to offer multiple frame and temple material options for a personalized look. There needs to be space for a battery, a chip, and multiple cameras, so it's not clear how slim Apple can get the glasses, but different color, size, and shape options are likely.

Meta had limited color and style options for its Ray-Bans to begin with, but over the last few years, it's added more shapes and colors, and expanded to Oakley frames.

Siri Will Play a Major Role

Apple can't release smart glasses until it has a functional, next-generation version of Siri. Controls will be largely voice based, which means Siri needs to be intelligent enough to understand what you want and act on it.

Apple rearchitected Siri with large language models, and a smarter Siri that's more like Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT is coming in spring 2026.

You should be able to ask Siri all kinds of questions, and with cameras integrated into Apple's glasses, Siri could be able to do things like provide feedback on what you're seeing, look things up for you, translate foreign languages, remember where you parked or put your keys, offer instructions to help you with tasks, play music, send messages, and more.

Apple will want to match many of the features of the Meta Ray-Bans, and Meta AI can do all of the above.

Rumored Apple Glasses Features

Apple's first-generation glasses won't include a display like Meta's latest Ray-Ban Display glasses, but they will have the same AI features, cameras, and audio capabilities of Meta's less expensive Ray-Bans.

We don't know everything about Apple's glasses yet, but we've heard rumors about some of the capabilities that will be included.
  • Take photos
  • Record video
  • Play audio, including podcasts, music, and audiobooks
  • Offer directions
  • Answer questions
  • Describe your surroundings
  • Identify plants, animals, landmarks and more with Visual Intelligence
  • Make phone calls
  • Send messages
  • Translate languages

You'll Still Need Your iPhone

The Apple glasses will have an Apple-designed chip that's based on the chip in the Apple Watch, but you're still going to need an iPhone to use them. They won't be able to operate standalone, and will need a connection to an iPhone for AI processing and other features.

We don't know what the battery life will be like, but handing tasks off to the iPhone should help extend battery life.

We Could See the Glasses as Soon as 2026

Apple is speeding up development on the smart glasses, and current rumors suggest Apple could show them off in late 2026. It sounds like Apple might announce them in 2026 and then launch them in early 2027.

There is no word yet on how much the glasses might cost, but Meta Ray-Bans start at $380 and Apple may want to price its version competitively.

Read More

We have an Apple Glasses guide that aggregates all of the rumors that we've heard so far. We update it regularly when new info comes out.

Article Link: Apple's 2026 Smart Glasses: Five Key Features to Expect
 
Apple plays catch-up. Again.

They need to seriously look at some companies other products, to get some idea of where to go now. Maybe try to poach some talent. Plenty of companies not as cash-rich as Meta.

You CAN expect top quality, and of course the prices that requires + some... a lot some.
Right? I miss the days when apple simply released the first personal computers, first digital music players, first smart phone, first tablet, first wireless earphones, first VR headset, etc...
 
I honestly think that as long as these glasses will not have a GUI, they will be pointless. I dont need glasses to look up whats in front of me and take pictures, as long as I still need to carry my iPhone with me.
I don't see this logic. You want a realtime thing going. Jeez, we are glued to the screens as it is, and this is just going to get screen-ier.
 
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Right? I miss the days when apple simply released the first personal computers, first digital music players, first smart phone, first tablet, first wireless earphones, first VR headset, etc...
So uh… never?
The Apple II and (maybe depending on which way you look at it) the iPhone are the only two products that even slightly come close to that description.
Apple most certainly did not have the first tablet PC’s, wireless headphones or VR headsets.
And the iPod was basically a bunch of other companies products mashed together, Apple didn’t even design the original software that ran on it and it was only ever made possible because of Toshiba’s first miniature hard drives.
 
Apple seems to spend a ridiculous amount of time, effort and money on things that don’t pan out (car) or limited appeal (Vision Pro). Then, it spends a ridiculous amount of time, effort and money to play catchup (Apple Music, HomePod mini, Siri). When it does, they can only work on one thing at a time and leave other products and services languishing for years (HomePod, Mac Pro, AirPods Max, tv). Apple seems to be relying heavily on brand loyalty, whereas other companies not only are far ahead, but update their products and services more frequently to entice people
 
Is Tim already wearing them? His look very close to the ones on this article. Wonder if Tim and Anderson Cooper are both sporting them already. If they look that good and not all bulky, they'll be an instant hit!
 
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Apple seems to spend a ridiculous amount of time, effort and money on things that don’t pan out (car) or limited appeal (Vision Pro). Then, it spends a ridiculous amount of time, effort and money to play catchup (Apple Music, HomePod mini, Siri). When it does, they can only work on one thing at a time and leave other products and services languishing for years (HomePod, Mac Pro, AirPods Max, tv). Apple seems to be relying heavily on brand loyalty, whereas other companies not only are far ahead, but update their products and services more frequently to entice people

Exactly. I understand that Apple is not incentivized to make the services too good because they make a ton of money off of third party apps on the App Store but they need to invest in making sure things such Apple Music, TV, Gaming, and iWork are class leading.
 
Oh great—no GUI and tethered to a phone. So… Vision Pro Lite, but make it clunkier. Strap on a heavy, awkward headset that does less, and don’t forget the phone leash. Hard pass.


It’s the “Russian watch” all over again: a slim face on your wrist and a car battery in your backpack.


Apple could use a dose of Jobs-era vision. Right now it’s flailing—Vision Pro theatrics, chip chest-beating, zombie foldables no one wants, and now a me-too chase after Meta’s glasses.


Unless these glasses are feather-light, actually stylish, and packed with real features salvaged from the doomed Vision Pro, they’re headed straight for the retail dustbin.
 
I don’t bite on this rumor at all … Apple for years has developed and skilled on AR and talked about it numerous time …
Why would they dropped their entire timeline to follow a trend that Zuck is trying to set with a pair of glasses that is half baked but “on trend” with Ray Ban … I don’t believe it a sec… Now they might skip the next Vision Pro step and jump on the one everyone need and want the appleGlasses like Xreal do .. Hence the need for an iPhone or IPad or Mac … They need to fix Siri and Apple Intelligence and add multi feature to their Apple Watch and we have a winner if the screens are great and the price right … Come on Apple! Just do it …
 
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