Apple may enter the smart glasses race in the second quarter of 2027, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This pair of glasses will allow users to take photos, record videos, and listen to music, with touch and free voice control, similar to Meta's Ray-Ban glasses.
Kuo said that Apple will offer a variety of glass frames and materials, but it is unclear whether the company will cooperate with any famous glass brand.
Notably, Apple's first generation of glasses will not have an augmented reality (AR) display. This has left Apple behind Meta, which is expected to launch AR glasses this year.
Currently, Meta Ray- Board has a 12MP video recording camera 720p, dual speakers, 5 microphones, a touchscreen on the right fold and LED lights to signal when recording. The battery life is 4 hours of continuous use and 36 hours if used with a charging case.
Meta Ray-Ban launched in September 2023 with a price starting from 299 USD and by February this year had sold more than 2 million units, an impressive figure in the emerging wearables segment.
In contrast, Apple's only wearable device today is the Vision Pro, priced at up to $3,499.
Kuo predicts that Apple's upcoming smart glasses will be much more successful, with expected sales of 3 - 5 million units in 2027.
However, the launch date is still quite far away, while competitors like Meta are accelerating innovation every day.
