A new report from Bloomberg suggests Apple will use WWDC 2027 as the stage for its first smart glasses, putting the device in buyers’ hands before the calendar flips to 2028.

The project, known internally as N50, was initially tracking for a late 2026 announcement. Engineers and product marketers both pushed that timeline back. Insider accounts point to two reasons: the hardware needs more tuning, and Apple wants a privacy strategy that clearly sets its glasses apart from Meta’s, which have drawn heat over recording complaints and data handling questions.

The specs call for two cameras — one for shooting photos and video, another dedicated to computer vision. Like the current generation of Meta glasses, the N50 will not include a built-in screen. Calls, AI interactions, music, and image capture all flow through the audio system and camera array.

People working on the device inside Apple’s Vision Products Group say privacy considerations are driving every design decision, Gurman reports. The company is watching Meta’s struggles closely — the Facebook owner faced a lawsuit over sending recorded glass footage to subcontractors for manual AI training review and fielded accusations around facial recognition features that had not been activated.

Apple faces competition from multiple sides. Samsung and Google began their smart glasses push this year through Warby Parker and South Korean brand Gentle Monster. Meta sells both its celeb-branded Ray-Ban line and a cheaper unbranded model. Display versions from all three remain at least one generation out.

Smart glasses give Apple a lighter path into wearable AI than the $3,499 Vision Pro headset. The company is betting users will swap their everyday frames for connected ones rather than strapping on bulky hardware.

Source: Road to VR