Just as Meta's Ray-Ban co-branded smart glasses were making waves in the wearable market and sparking a wave of AI glasses fever, it was initially expected that Apple would soon follow suit.Give a strong responseHowever, according to Bloomberg News reportsdiscloseApple's first smart glasses, codenamed "N50," will have its release date delayed from the end of 2026 to the end of 2027 due to development challenges.
Despite the delayed product launch, the product outline and strategic layout of this wearable device, which Apple CEO Tim Cook considers a "top priority," are becoming increasingly clear. Apple clearly does not intend to release a bulky augmented reality device from the outset, but rather adopts a similar "comfort first, technology second" strategy to the Apple Watch, directly targeting the huge traditional eyewear market.
Development has encountered setbacks, and the launch date has been postponed to the end of 2027.
The market previously expected Apple to release its first lightweight smart glasses by the end of 2026 and begin shipping in early 2027. However, according to a Bloomberg report, due to some "bumps" encountered during development, Apple has decided to delay the release to the end of 2027 in order to ensure a perfect product experience, meaning that the product may not be available until 2028.
However, the delayed launch may ensure that the smart glasses can be perfectly integrated with the fully upgraded Siri and Apple Intelligence services, which have stronger multimodal understanding capabilities, when they are released, allowing the voice assistant to play its maximum value on screenless hardware.
Abandoning AR displays, focusing on everyday practicality and diverse frame designs
Unlike the "sci-fi AR glasses" many have anticipated, Apple's first smart glasses will not have a built-in display. Instead of pursuing cool but extremely power-intensive AR visual effects, Apple has opted for a screenless interactive design. The frame will incorporate a microphone, speaker, and an oval-shaped camera module. Besides capturing everyday photos and videos, users will primarily use Siri to answer calls, control music, listen to notifications, and even obtain route navigation and perform real-time visual translation.
To convince ordinary consumers to wear them for extended periods, Apple's design team is testing...At least four frame stylesThe collection includes large rectangular frames similar to Ray-Ban Wayfarer, slimmer rectangular designs, and two different sizes of oval or round frames. The products are expected to be available in several exclusive colors, including black, navy blue, and light brown, aiming to position them as versatile fashion accessories.
Targeting the $2000 billion traditional eyewear market
Regarding pricing strategy, reports indicate that the smart glasses will be priced between $200 and $500 (approximately NT$6400 to NT$16000), meaning that Apple is not planning to compete with professional AR devices that cost thousands of dollars, but rather to directly target traditional eyewear brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Warby Parker.
It's worth noting that the development of this product is currently being heavily driven by John Ternus, who is expected to take over as CEO. In the future, Apple plans to further evolve these glasses into a health monitoring device, and even eventually incorporate advanced augmented reality technology that can substantially "improve vision."
