Apple smart glasses could stand out in more ways than one

Apple’s sleek, simple smart glasses without a display, internally dubbed “N50”, reportedly will launch in 2027. The company is testing four designs for the wearable, in multiple finishes.

The smart glasses supposedly will integrate tightly with the iPhone and Siri to offer an experience like no other.

Apple tests multiple smart glasses designs

For all the technological breakthroughs the Apple Vision Pro packed, the headset failed to sell in decent numbers. That’s not surprising, given its $3,500 price tag and size. 

Apple’s upcoming smart glasses should deliver a similar experience in a much sleeker package. And if reports are to be believed, the company will unveil the smart glasses before the end of 2026.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, says Apple is testing four designs for its upcoming smart glasses. It will seemingly launch “some or all of them,” with multiple color options.

The four design options in testing include, according to Gurman:

• A large rectangular frame, that looks a bit like Ray-Ban’s iconic Wayfarers
• A slimmer, rectangular design, similar to the glasses worn by Apple CEO Tim Cook
• Larger oval or circular frames
• A smaller, more refined oval or circular option

Apple smart glasses will stand out with premium materials

Additionally, Gurman’s sources working on the smart glasses project say Apple will use high-end materials to build the device. The latest internal prototypes are made using acetate, which Gurman says is “known to be more durable and luxurious than the standard plastic used by many brands.”

Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, made by eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica SA, are made of plastic.

Apple also wants to make its smart glasses look different enough to stand out from the crowd.

“Apple is exploring a range of finishes, including black, ocean blue and light brown,” says Gurman in the newsletter. “As with AirPods and the Apple Watch, the goal is to create a design that is instantly recognizable. Apple refers to this as the ‘icon’ internally.”

The company’s current design also offers a different spin on the look of the smart glasses’ camera.

“One notable detail under consideration is the camera system: vertically oriented oval lenses with surrounding lights, a departure from the circular design seen in Meta’s products,” Gurman says.

Apple’s smart glasses will also have another advantage over competitors: deep integration with iPhone and Siri.

That might not seem like a big deal now, especially given current Siri’s limitations. But with the new Google Gemini-powered Siri, Apple could finally offer an experience on par with its rivals.

Rajesh Pandey

Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.