Gurman: Apple may release smart glasses and AirPods with cameras by 2027

Apple is reportedly developing additional vision-based products, according to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. These products include smart glasses, which are expected to resemble Meta’s collaboration with Ray-Ban, and AirPods equipped with cameras. However, these new products are not expected to be released until at least 2027, if they are released at all.

The report suggests that Apple aims to capitalize on its significant research and development investment in the visual intelligence technology behind the Apple Vision Pro by expanding this technology to other devices. This trend has already been seen with the iPhone 16, which introduced visual intelligence features for camera control. The next step for Apple is reportedly the introduction of smart glasses with this technology.

The upcoming glasses will not be full augmented reality (AR) glasses with displays, but instead smart glasses that include cameras, speakers, and microphones—similar to Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses, which have gained considerable popularity. Meta’s version of these smart glasses is currently available at prices starting from $299, with higher-priced options for premium frames.

In addition to the smart glasses, Apple is also reportedly working on AirPods with cameras. While there is some uncertainty about why this product would be more appealing than glasses, Apple appears to be experimenting with different form factors to integrate visual intelligence technology.