A new report claims that Apple is accelerating development on smart glasses targeted for release in late 2026, marking a deeper push into AI-integrated consumer hardware.

Apple has shelved a previously considered Apple Watch with a built-in camera, shifting focus entirely toward glasses that could rival the Ray-Ban Meta glasses and Google’s  recently-announced partnerships with Warby Parker and GENTLE MONSTER for AI glasses. That signaled serious intent from Alphabet to gain a foothold in AI-native wearables while bringing its technology to retail scale.

Sources familiar with the roadmap said that Apple plans to begin large-scale prototype production with overseas suppliers by the end of this year.

The glasses, according to Bloomberg, are expected to support cameras, microphones, and speakers, enabling them to analyze the user’s surroundings and perform voice-activated tasks. The device would handle functions such as phone calls, music playback, turn-by-turn navigation, and real-time translation, mirroring capabilities found in Meta’s latest Ray-Ban smartglasses.

While rumors are interesting when given a timeframe, one must remember that Apple doesn’t release a new device without being protected by multiple patents. For instance, Apple Vision was backed by more than 5,000 patents.

Our HMD/Smartglasses patent archive demonstrates that Apple has been working on various aspects and concepts relating to future smartglasses for years, and certainly way before Meta ever even dreamed of them.