Apple Delays Smart Glasses Amid Privacy Struggle
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The company is reportedly weighing camera-less designs and on-device processing to avoid the controversies plaguing Meta.
Apple has pushed back the launch of its first smart glasses to address significant privacy concerns, according to reporting from Engadget, The Verge, and TechCrunch.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that teams within Apple's Vision hardware group and other departments have designated privacy as "priority No. 1." While the glasses were initially slated for a debut this year, Gurman indicates the reveal is now expected at the June 2027 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), with a market release by the end of 2027.
To differentiate itself from Meta—whose AI glasses have faced a class action lawsuit and criticism over non-consensual recordings—Apple is exploring several hardware and software safeguards. According to Gurman, Apple may implement a system that disables recording if the device's recording indicator light is tampered with. The company is also considering "neutered" hardware options, including glasses with no camera at all or a camera system that can sense the environment but cannot capture photos or video.
On the software front, The Verge reports that Apple will likely rely on on-device processing and avoid controversial features such as facial recognition or "super sensing" always-on recording. TechCrunch adds that Apple is unlikely to use customer recordings to train AI models or employ contractors to review user footage, as Meta has reportedly done.