Apple is accelerating plans to launch its first AI-powered smart glasses by the end of 2026, Bloomberg reports, as the tech giant intensifies its push into wearable AI devices.

The move positions Apple against Meta’s successful Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Google’s upcoming Android XR-powered eyewear.

Apple’s smart glasses will feature built-in cameras, microphones and speakers, enabling users to make calls, translate languages, navigate with turn-by-turn directions, and interact with Siri hands-free.

The product is not expected to include augmented reality (AR) capabilities in its first generation, though Apple still aims to bring true AR glasses to market in the future.

Meanwhile, Apple has reportedly scrapped plans to release a smartwatch with an integrated camera – a project once aimed at enhancing spatial awareness using AI. The company is still exploring other AI-integrated wearables, including AirPods with built-in cameras.

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Prototypes of the glasses will enter mass production by late 2025, with one insider describing them as “similar to Meta’s glasses, but better made.”

Apple is also developing a custom chip to power the glasses, which are expected to function as an extension of its ‘Apple Intelligence’ platform.

The race in the next era of consumer electronics is heating up. OpenAI recently acquired ex-Apple designer Jony Ive’s AI hardware firm with the ambition of launching their own “iPhone of AI” in 2026.

Apple’s Vision Products Group, which developed the Vision Pro headset, is leading the glasses project. While future versions of the Vision Pro are also in the pipeline, including lighter and cheaper models, the focus has clearly shifted toward mainstream AI wearables.

As Apple plays catch-up in AI, its success with smart glasses may hinge on improving Siri and expanding its generative AI capabilities.