Apple is testing four smart glasses designs and preparing a Meta rival for 2027

Apple is preparing its first smart glasses without a display and has not yet chosen a final look. According to reports on the project, the company is testing four frame types at once to find a shape that is recognizable, comfortable and mainstream enough for a 2027 launch.

Four frame versions

Apple is currently checking not one prototype but several visually distinct options. That is an important signal: the company has not locked in a final design and appears to be looking for a balance between a fashion accessory and wearable electronics that you are not embarrassed to wear every day. The approach recalls the early Apple Watch strategy, where the bet was placed not only on features but also on how the device looks on a person.

• A large rectangular frame in the style of classic Wayfarers
• A thinner rectangular version in a business style
• A large oval or nearly round shape
• A more compact, neat oval variant

Materials are a separate bet. Instead of ordinary plastic, Apple is reportedly using acetate, a more durable and premium material more often associated with quality optical frames. The colors reportedly being tested include black, ocean blue and light brown. The idea is simple: the glasses should look not like a gadget experiment but like a proper accessory that fits into an everyday wardrobe.

What's inside

The first version will not be an AR headset like Vision Pro. According to available information, these glasses will have no display at all. Apple is building a more down-to-earth product: lightweight glasses with cameras, microphones, speakers and tight integration with the iPhone. That eases requirements for weight, battery life and entry price, and also lets Apple ship sooner than full augmented reality glasses.

The design includes two cameras: one for photos and video, the other for computer vision tasks. The second is meant to help Siri and Apple Intelligence understand what is in front of the user and give more contextual answers. A custom low-power chip built on Apple Watch architectural ideas is also reported. In other words, Apple is clearly betting not on a flashy interface but on constant background recognition of the surroundings and voice interaction.

The exterior will also differ from current competitors. The front camera module is described as a vertically oriented oval block with indicators around it. This layout is meant to set the device apart at once from Ray-Ban Meta and other similar models. If Apple brings the idea to release, the glasses could become another interface for notifications, calls, music, shooting and quick queries to the voice assistant, without having to pull out a phone each time.

Why Apple wants this product

For Apple, this is an attempt to enter a category that Meta* has already legitimized with mass demand. But instead of jumping straight into complex AR scenarios, the company is taking a more understandable route: ordinary-looking glasses that add a camera, voice and contextual AI. This is not a replacement for Vision Pro but a neighboring product: simpler, cheaper and closer to everyday use.

The timeline also looks fairly concrete. Apple reportedly wants to start production in December 2026, with a public debut expected in late 2026 or early 2027. If the schedule holds, the device could go on sale in spring or summer 2027. For Apple this is an important test: can it turn AI features from a bullet point in a presentation into something people actually wear on their face every day.

What this means

The smart glasses market is entering a phase where the winner will be not the most futuristic idea but the most wearable product. If Apple really ships lightweight glasses with good design and useful Siri integration, competition in the category will intensify sharply, and AI will finally start moving from the smartphone into everyday accessories.

*Meta is designated an extremist organization and banned in Russia.