Apple plans to unveil its first smart glasses with a major focus on privacy protections at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2027. The firm seeks to enter the AI-driven smart eyewear market while addressing rising privacy worries tied to camera-equipped wearables. The Cupertino technology leader is refining both hardware and privacy systems ahead of a consumer release later that year. Multiple camera arrangements remain under review to balance AI tools, everyday usability, and public confidence.

According to Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, Apple now intends to show the smart glasses at WWDC 2027 and ship them to buyers by year end. The adjusted schedule should give outside developers extra time to prepare apps for the new wearable platform.

Apple has increased the prices of Apple Music and Apple One Subscription plans
Apple is planning to bring OLED technology to the iPad mini
Apple to Introduce redesigned Apple Pencil models in 2027
Apple Brings Back Card Payments for App Store and iCloud Transactions in India After Five Years
Apple upcoming smart wearable could feature not one, but two cameras

Apple had aimed for an earlier debut, yet the timeline moved as engineering and marketing groups continue polishing the product and its privacy features. Gurman notes that privacy now shapes much of the development work, prompting new hardware and software safeguards not found on existing Apple devices.

iOS 27 Hints at New Smart Wearable With Two Cameras

The company aims to set its smart glasses apart from rivals such as Meta by upholding its reputation for strong user privacy. Gurman observes that unease over Meta privacy practices has left some consumers reluctant to wear or stand near camera-equipped glasses.

The newsletter highlights ongoing worries that conversations could be recorded in offices, restaurants, and other public spots. Although phones carry stronger cameras, smart glasses draw extra attention because recording stays less visible to those nearby.

Several groups and locations have already limited smart glasses use. Bloomberg reports restrictions or bans in certain New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin courtrooms. Royal Caribbean bars the devices from casinos, restrooms, and kids areas, and similar rules appear in some schools, hospitals, gyms, and entertainment sites.

Apple Long-Awaited Smart Glasses May Still Be Some Time Away

Apple is expected to add safeguards like those planned by competitors, such as blocking recording if an indicator light is altered. Samsung is also developing similar protections for its Android XR glasses alongside Google and Warby Parker.

Beyond hardware steps, Apple is making software privacy choices. Gurman says the firm will lean on on-device processing, skip facial recognition, and avoid continuous scene analysis like Meta reported super-sensing mode. Recordings will not train AI models, and contractors will not review user footage, following past Siri quality-control concerns.

Apple also tested several camera layouts, including one without cameras and another that uses cameras only for AI scene understanding while disabling photo or video capture. The version most likely to launch keeps standard cameras plus stronger privacy controls.

The newsletter points out that dropping photo and video functions could reduce appeal, since first-person capture drives many Meta device sales. Current AI features alone may not deliver enough value for a camera-free model.

Gurman draws a parallel to AirTags, which helped locate items yet later linked to stalking cases. Apple expects to keep updating software, policies, and safety tools if misuse appears after the glasses launch.

The smart glasses should include built-in speakers and microphones for music, calls, and Siri use without AirPods. AI tools are also planned to help identify objects, interpret surroundings, and support easier navigation.

The glasses form part of a larger 2027 Apple hardware lineup that Gurman says will feature the twentieth-anniversary iPhone, a second foldable iPhone, new smart home products, updated AirPods, and refreshed Mac models.