Apple testing four smart glasses styles made of high-end materials

At a glance:

• Apple is testing four distinct smart glasses designs made from acetate, a more durable and luxurious material than standard plastics.
• Designs range from large rectangular frames to slimmer, circular options, with color options including black, ocean blue, and light brown.
• The glasses will integrate tightly with iPhone and Siri, use computer vision for contextual awareness, and are slated for unveiling in late 2026 with release in 2027.

Apple is developing at least four different styles of smart glasses, and the company is betting that their superior design will set them apart from rival products, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple's latest designs are made from a high-end material called acetate, which is "more durable and luxurious" than the standard plastic used by most existing brands.

In Gurman's words, the designs in testing include:

• A large rectangular frame, reminiscent of Ray-Ban 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

The designs will be instantly recognizable as Apple – what the company refers to internally as the "icon" – and they are set to come in "many" color options, says Gurman, with black, ocean blue, and light brown currently being explored. The glasses will tightly integrate with the iPhone and Siri, and they will use computer vision to interpret the user's surroundings and feed contextual awareness into Apple Intelligence.

Meanwhile, the camera system currently being considered is described as "vertically oriented oval lenses with surrounding lights," which contrasts with the circular design seen in Meta's Ray-Bans. Apple is expected to unveil smart glasses as the end of 2026 or early the following year, with the actual release occurring in 2027. The glasses are said to be part of Apple's broader AI wearables strategy that also includes new AirPods with cameras and a camera-equipped pendant.

Design philosophy and material choice

The decision to use acetate – a material traditionally associated with high-end eyewear – signals Apple's intent to position its smart glasses as a premium lifestyle product rather than a purely functional gadget. Acetate offers both aesthetic appeal and practical benefits: it is more resistant to wear and tear than injection-molded plastics, can be produced in a wider range of colors and finishes, and feels more substantial on the face. This aligns with Apple's broader design ethos of blending technology with everyday fashion, much like the Apple Watch's evolution from tech accessory to style statement.

Integration with Apple ecosystem

Apple's smart glasses are being designed to work seamlessly with the iPhone and Siri, leveraging the company's strengths in hardware-software integration. The inclusion of computer vision capabilities means the glasses will be able to interpret the user's environment in real time, feeding contextual data into Apple Intelligence for on-device AI processing. This could enable features like visual search, real-time translation, or contextual notifications without the need for constant cloud connectivity, enhancing both privacy and responsiveness.

Competitive differentiation

The vertically oriented oval camera design with surrounding lights is a deliberate departure from Meta's circular camera layout in its Ray-Ban collaboration. This not only helps Apple avoid direct aesthetic comparisons but also suggests a different approach to how the glasses capture and process visual information. By focusing on a unique form factor and high-end materials, Apple appears to be targeting a more fashion-conscious segment of the market, potentially appealing to users who might have been hesitant to adopt bulkier, tech-first designs from competitors.

Timeline and broader strategy

With an expected unveiling in late 2026 and a 2027 release, Apple is taking a measured approach to entering the smart glasses market. This timeline allows the company to refine both the hardware and software experience, ensuring that the glasses deliver on the seamless integration and premium feel that Apple customers expect. The glasses are part of a larger AI wearables push that also includes camera-equipped AirPods and a pendant, indicating that Apple sees ambient, always-on AI as a key pillar of its future product lineup.

What to watch next

As development progresses, key areas to monitor will include the finalization of design choices, the evolution of the camera and computer vision capabilities, and how Apple balances fashion with function. The choice of acetate and the variety of frame styles suggest a focus on personalization, but the success of the product will ultimately depend on whether Apple can deliver compelling, everyday use cases that justify the premium price point. Additionally, the integration with Apple Intelligence will be crucial in differentiating the glasses from existing smart eyewear and ensuring they become an indispensable part of the Apple ecosystem.