Apple Reportedly Delays Smart Glasses to WWDC 2027 to Strengthen Privacy

Apple is expected to showcase its first smart glasses with a strong emphasis on privacy at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2027. The company is preparing to enter the AI-powered smart glasses segment while attempting to address growing privacy concerns surrounding camera-equipped wearable devices. The Cupertino-based tech giant is reportedly refining both the hardware and its privacy framework before the product reaches consumers later in 2027. The company is also evaluating multiple camera configurations as it seeks to balance artificial intelligence features, user convenience and public trust.

Apple Plans Privacy-First Smart Glasses to Take on Meta

According to the latest Power On newsletter by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple now plans to unveil its first smart glasses at WWDC 2027 before releasing them to consumers by the end of the year. The revised schedule is expected to give developers additional time to adapt applications for Apple's new wearable platform.

Apple had originally targeted an earlier introduction for the device. Still, the launch timeline has reportedly shifted as engineering and marketing teams continue refining both the product and its privacy safeguards. Gurman says privacy considerations now guide much of the work across the teams developing the smart glasses, with Apple also creating new hardware and software protections that are not available on its current devices.

The company is expected to position its smart glasses differently from existing products in the category, particularly Meta's offerings, as it seeks to preserve its long-standing reputation for protecting user privacy. According to Gurman, concerns surrounding Meta's privacy practices have made some consumers uneasy about wearing or being around camera-equipped smart glasses.

The newsletter says many people remain concerned about the possibility of being recorded during conversations in workplaces, restaurants and other public spaces. Although mobile phones have more capable cameras, camera-equipped eyewear often attracts greater scrutiny because recording is less obvious to people nearby.

Several organisations and venues have already introduced restrictions on smart glasses. Bloomberg reports that some courtrooms in New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have restricted or banned their use. Royal Caribbean has also prohibited the devices in casinos, restrooms and children's areas, while some schools, hospitals, gyms and entertainment venues have adopted similar policies.

Apple is expected to introduce protections similar to those already adopted or planned by rivals. These measures could prevent recording if the indicator light appears to have been tampered with. Samsung is also said to be developing comparable safeguards for its Android XR smart glasses in partnership with Google and Warby Parker.

Alongside these safeguards, Apple is reportedly making several software-related privacy decisions. Gurman says the company is expected to rely more heavily on on-device processing, avoid facial recognition features and steer clear of continuous environment analysis features similar to Meta's reported super sensing mode. Apple is also unlikely to use customer recordings to train artificial intelligence models or rely on contractors to review user footage, following earlier criticism related to Siri quality control.

Apple is also said to have explored multiple camera configurations during development, including one concept that removes cameras altogether. Another retains cameras solely to interpret the surroundings for AI-powered features while disabling photo and video capture. Gurman says the version currently considered most likely to reach the market would retain conventional cameras while adding stronger privacy protections.

The newsletter notes that removing photo and video recording could weaken one of the biggest attractions of smart glasses, as first-person photo and video capture has become one of the main reasons consumers buy Meta's devices. It also suggests Apple's current artificial intelligence capabilities alone may not provide enough value to support a camera-free product.

Gurman compares the challenge with Apple's experience following the launch of AirTags, which were designed to help users locate belongings but later became associated with stalking incidents. The report says Apple is expected to continue updating software, policies and safety measures if similar misuse emerges after the smart glasses launch.

The smart glasses are expected to feature built-in speakers and microphones for music playback, phone calls and Siri interactions without requiring AirPods. Artificial intelligence features are also expected to help users identify objects, understand their surroundings and navigate more easily.

The smart glasses are expected to be part of a broader wave of Apple hardware planned for 2027. Gurman says that roadmap also includes the twentieth anniversary iPhone, a second-generation foldable iPhone, new smart home devices, updated AirPods and refreshed Mac models.