Rumors claim that the product may be delayed because Apple needs more time to work on Apple Intelligence. Meanwhile, there are some reports that indicate the smart glasses by Cupertino may come together with the iPhone 18 as well.
Reportedly, Apple may be accelerating the development of its smart glasses now.
Apple Glasses price
Currently, the Apple Glasses are expected to compete with Meta's smart glasses. Their price is unknown presently, but they're not going to be as expensive as Apple's Vision Pro.
Apple Glasses camera
Earlier it was believed that due to privacy reasons, Apple's smart AR glasses were not going to have a built-in camera. Then, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed an Apple AR headset to actually sport a whole 15 cameras, with eight of them used for AR video.
Now, newer reports hint that the Apple smart glasses are going to feature a high-resolution camera for photo and video capture, and one camera for "computer vision", which would be giving environmental context to the device.
On the subject of cameras, Apple's LiDAR sensor could make it into Apple's smart glasses. Considering that LiDAR isn't capable of capturing clear photos and videos of people like a standard camera and will be useful for scanning the user's environment to enhance AR apps, Apple might be able to avoid potential privacy concerns despite including it.
Apple Glasses design
The leaked five-year roadmap suggests that the Apple Glasses will have 1.4" MicroLED or MicroOLED screens, but not much beyond that.
A patent submission, uncovered online, is giving us some information of what we can expect from the design of the smart glasses. The patent was submitted alongside 85 other entries and among them, all that are related to the Vision Pro are explicitly noted as such, so this particular one might very well be about the smart glasses.
Apple Glasses concept. | Image by Martin Hajek for iDrop News
As is to be expected from Apple, its smart glasses will be as sleek and stylish as the technology inside would allow for. Back in 2020, leaker Jon Prosser said that the Apple glasses would resemble traditional glasses, which is still plausible in 2026. Their design would steer away from resembling "heavy machinery on your face" and will be targeted at regular consumers.
Apple glasses concept. | Image by EverythingApplePro
Recommended For You
Prosser also mentioned that prescription lenses will be supported by Apple glasses, which suggests that their lenses might be interchangeable, just like the Vision Pro.
Apple AR headset concept. | Image by AntonioDeRosa
Apple Glasses display
Apple's AR glasses could probably sport either one or two tiny projectors in each frame, which would cast an image onto the lenses. The image would appear to the observer as an overlay to their environment.
If the Apple glasses can project into both lenses by employing two projectors, one for each lens, certain apps could easily feature 3D effects.
Apple Glasses concept. | Image by Martin Hajek for iDrop News
Back in 2019, a CNET report suggested that the Apple glasses would project in 8K, meaning an impressive 7680 x 4320 pixel resolution for each eye.
Apple HMD (head-mounted display) patent image from 2019. | Image by Apple
Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that Apple will use Sony Micro-OLED displays and optical modules for a "see-through AR experience," but will also be capable of providing a "a VR experience".
Apple Glasses battery
Due to the size constraints of their design, Apple's glasses won't be able to employ large batteries, so the device will need to be energy efficient. A small battery cell would likely be integrated into each frame of the glasses.
Image from an Apple patent showing an AR headset charging in a docking station. | Image by Apple
Several Apple patent applications, which were published in 2020, suggested that Apple is considering its glasses to charge wirelessly on a dedicated dock. Judging by the most plausible patent, the glasses will contain magnets and coils that will connect with the dock, allowing for inductive charging.
Similarly to Amazon's Echo Frames smart glasses, Apple glasses users will be able to interact with a smart assistant (Siri in this case) by voice, ask it to call a contact, answer questions, make a note, play a podcast, and so on.
A new rumor now indicates that Apple's smart glasses may use a slightly different approach to voice commands, though. The company has recently acquired a new startup called Q.ai. One of the few things that's known about the startup is that it specialized in machine learning technology for interpreting silent voice input.
That could indicate that Apple may be planning to allow users to control the Apple glasses with voice, but with a twist: it could be done with whispering, or potentially even without anything audible at all.
Reportedly, the startup Apple acquired worked on systems that could interpret facial movements in order to read what you are saying without it being really audible. If Apple succeeds in pulling this off with the Apple Glasses, that would definitely make the headset stand out from the competition.
Of course, as with anything that's rumored, this is far from confirmed, so take it with a grain of salt.
Meanwhile, the Apple Glasses may also take advantage of Apple Intelligence and the AI-powered Visual Intelligence. Visual Intelligence was first introduced with the iPhone 16 Pro and currently relies on ChatGPT for search results. However, the Cupertino company is said to be working on its own AI visual models, set to arrive in 2026, potentially alongside the new Siri.
Visual Intelligence basically uses generative AI to identify, analyze, and take actions in relation to objects in the real world (in real time). On iPhones that support it, you can use the Camera Control button to search for things you see or identify a plant or an element. Visual Intelligence can also translate text that the camera is seeing or get you information about landmarks.
As you can probably tell, such an addition makes quite a lot of sense for smart glasses, even more so than for iPhones, if you ask me.
Other Apple glasses features may include showing the wearer their iPhone notifications, displaying messages, map directions, and other useful content. Like with Apple Watch, the Apple glasses would probably get their own app store, containing 3D AR games and other dedicated AR apps.
The Apple glasses will likely have 5G connectivity, according to leaker Jon Prosser.
Apple Glasses hardware and specs
We speculate that Apple's AR glasses will likely sport at least two speakers, one in each frame and close to the user's ears, like many existing AR and VR devices today.
This isn't unlike other modern smart glasses, for example, the Amazon Echo Frames. Despite not having a display, they have four tiny speakers, two in each frame, in addition to a microphone. While wearing them, the user can interact with the Amazon Alexa smart assistant and hear feedback from it.
Another patent filed by Apple revealed that the Apple glasses might employ a large array of microphones covering them. The patent in question has the microphones detect sounds, even those that are beyond human hearing, and suggests that some sort of indicators will be used for "directing the user to the source of the sound”.
Of course, do keep in mind that patents don't always translate to a real world product. They could very well be things that Apple is researching and may have decided against.
Apple glasses patent image possibly showing the planned arrangement of its microphones. | Image by Apple
Should I wait for the Apple Glasses?
You should wait for the Apple Glasses if you're interested in what the novelty that Apple may offer on the smart glasses market with this new product is. We obviously don't know when we'll see them just yet, so if you're willing to wait, keep in mind you may be waiting some time before you get to have one of these.
You should not wait for the Apple Glasses if you're not interested in smart glasses. Also, if competing products like Meta's Ray-Ban AI glasses are enough for your current needs or interests.
Stan, also known as Stako, is a smartphone enthusiast who loves exploring the limits of Android customization. His journey with mobile tech began with the Nokia 5110 and evolved with devices like the BlackBerry 9350 Curve and Samsung Galaxy A4. Despite his love for Android, he holds equal respect for Apple, considering the iPhone 4s as a significant milestone in mobile tech. Stan started his writing career early, contributing to MetalWorld, and harbors a passion for creative writing. Beyond smartphones, he's interested in photography, design, composition, and gaming, often preferring solo projects to hone his objective thinking. He's also an avid student of open-source technology and consoles, with a special fondness for the Pebble Watch, Arduboy, and Playdate.
