Apple smart glasses move through internal testing

Apple Smart Glasses May Arrive as Apple reportedly tests the device in as many as four form factors, with launch timing now said to be late this year or early next year. The wearable is also being explored in several colour options and may use vertically oriented oval camera lenses instead of circular ones.

Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman said in a new report that the device is actively under internal testing with multiple design languages. The Apple smart glasses are said to be built more like a companion product for the iPhone than a full augmented reality device.

According to the report, one version under discussion features a large rectangular frame similar to the Ray-Ban Wayfarer. Apple is also looking at a slimmer rectangular style, like the one often worn by CEO Tim Cook, along with smaller oval or circular options and larger circular frames.

Four design directions and colour options are in play

The report says the company wants a look that is instantly recognisable, much like AirPods and the Apple Watch. Internally, the project is reportedly being referred to as the “icon”. Apple is also said to be testing acetate instead of generic plastic for the frames.

• Possible frame styles include a large rectangular frame
• A slimmer rectangular version is also under review
• Smaller oval or circular options are being tested
• Larger circular frames are also under consideration
• Colourways mentioned include brown, ocean blue and black
• Camera lenses may be vertically oriented and oval shaped

Beyond the design language, the smart glasses are expected to be tightly integrated into Apple’s ecosystem. The report points to in-house chips, Apple’s retail presence and deep iPhone integration as part of the device’s expected advantage over early movers such as Meta and Google. Gurman also suggested that, if a functional Siri is in place, the glasses could follow a path similar to the Apple Watch: not first to market, but eventually dominant.

The timing remains uncertain. The report says the Apple smart glasses launch will reportedly happen by the end of this year, or early the following year. Apple has not commented on the developments, and the information remains unconfirmed.

Apple frames smart glasses as a step before AR

The glasses are expected to be positioned as a smart wearable that works with the iPhone rather than as full-fledged augmented reality hardware. The more advanced AR version is still described as several years away, potentially close to a decade, because the technology still needs to mature for a lightweight form factor and practical battery life.

The report also says Apple has yet to settle on whether it will offer one design or several. For now, the internal work appears to cover more than one approach, both in frame shape and colour. That leaves the product line in testing, with Apple still deciding what form the first version should take.

Gurman’s update adds to a steady stream of reporting around Apple smart glasses, a device that has been discussed for years but not yet shown publicly. The latest details point to a product that may launch as a companion wearable first, while the longer-term augmented reality version stays on a different timeline.

For now, the only firm detail is that Apple is still testing. The rest remains subject to change.