Brief: Apple is trialing four different frame designs for its upcoming AI-powered smart glasses, as per a Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman dated April 12, 2026. The styles include a large rectangular frame like Wayfarers, a slimmer rectangular style resembling those worn by CEO Tim Cook, a larger oval or circular frame, and a smaller oval option. Frames will be crafted from acetate instead of typical plastic. The device uses the N401 chip, a custom processor based on Apple Watch S-series tech, with two cameras: one for capturing photos and videos, another for computer vision. There will be no display in the initial version. Production is aimed for December 2026, with a launch planned for spring or summer 2027.
Four styles, one material
The four frame designs cover a range of aesthetics. The large rectangular choice resembles classic Wayfarer-style frames, a shape that has broad consumer recognition and mainstream appeal. The slimmer rectangular variant is similar to frames worn by Tim Cook, suggesting this option is tailored for professional settings. The two oval formats vary from a larger, more expressive shape to a smaller, minimal design. The array of designs under consideration indicates Apple is still exploring which visual direction will attract the widest user base, much like its strategy with the initial Apple Watch designs.
Acetate is the material being used, described as more durable and luxurious than standard plastic, positioning the glasses against Meta’s Ray-Ban line rather than budget-tier wearables. Colors in the testing phase include black, ocean blue, and light brown, with many more likely by launch. The camera setup on the frame’s front uses a vertically oriented oval layout surrounded by indicator lights, different from the horizontal arrangement in Meta’s models, to mark the device as distinctively Apple. Apple is targeting a weight under 50g and all-day battery life. A price close to $499 has been mentioned in other reports, though not confirmed by Gurman.
Hardware and intelligence
The N401 chip is a custom low-power processor derived from the Apple Watch S-series architecture, optimized for on-device inference within the thermal and battery constraints a pair of frames can manage. The glasses have two cameras: the main one for photo and video capture; the second devoted to computer vision, offering Siri and Apple Intelligence real-time environmental context without needing the phone to be raised or unlocked. Microphones and spatial sensors are also built-in. There is no display in the first version, meaning all information is conveyed through speakers or the iPhone screen, and the glasses depend on the iPhone for any heavy processing that can’t be done on-device.
The main interface is Siri, handling notifications, music playback, phone calls, live translation, and visual intelligence queries about the user’s surroundings. Siri runs an updated version announced in January 2026, powered partly by a custom Gemini model developed through Apple’s partnership with Google. The system had been set to launch for some time before Apple Intelligence accidentally went live in China on March 30, 2026, before getting regulatory approval, highlighting the software’s readiness and Apple’s need for compliance in markets beyond the U.S.
The market Apple is entering
The smart glasses sector Apple is poised to enter has been commercially proven by Meta over the past two years. Meta sold over seven million Ray-Ban and Oakley AI frames in 2025, tripling its 2024 volume in a category that barely existed three years prior. Meta’s latest strategy expanded into corrective eyewear, a move targeting the 69% of the global eyewear market requiring corrective lenses, a segment untouched by standard smart glasses. Meta launches prescription Ray-Ban smart glasses. Apple revamped the MacBook Air with M5 in March 2026,