Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses spent years being a product people found interesting but didn’t actually buy. That changed fast. Last year, EssilorLuxottica sold over 7 million pairs, far more than the combined total from the two years prior. The category has real momentum now, and Apple is clearly paying attention. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple smart glasses are further along than most people realized.
Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter reveals Apple is actively testing at least four different frame designs for the project, internally codenamed N50. The designs include a large rectangular frame similar to Ray-Ban Wayfarers and a slimmer rectangular version resembling the glasses worn by Tim Cook. Two oval or circular options round out the lineup, in different sizes.
Rather than partnering with an established eyewear brand, Apple is building the frames entirely in-house. The material of choice is acetate, which Gurman describes as more durable and premium than standard plastic. Color options currently in testing include black, ocean blue, and light brown. The plan, according to Gurman, is to launch multiple styles at once across multiple colors, similar to how Apple debuted the Apple Watch in 2015 with a wide range of combinations from day one.
More Than Just a Pretty Frame
These aren’t AR glasses. There’s no display. What Apple is reportedly building sits in the same category as the Ray-Ban Meta glasses: cameras, microphones, speakers, and a direct line to AI features. The glasses will reportedly capture photos and videos, handle phone calls, relay notifications, and enable hands-free Siri interactions. The front cameras are arranged in a vertical oval pattern, surrounded by indicator lights.
That last detail is worth noting. Apple’s indicator light approach is reportedly more prominent than what competitors use, making it harder to record without others noticing. Whether that’s a genuine privacy consideration or just a design decision, it sets the Apple smart glasses apart visually from everything else on the market right now.
The glasses are meant to tie closely into the iPhone, leaning on a rebuilt Siri expected to ship with iOS 27. Apple shifted engineers away from the Vision Pro revamp to push this project forward, which says a lot about where the company’s priorities are heading.
Gurman has the unveiling penciled in for late 2026 or early 2027, with actual availability in 2027. The Ray-Ban glasses had a years-long head start. Whether Siri is good enough by then is the only question that really matters.
