Apple delays smart glasses launch to address privacy concerns
Apple is pushing back its first smart glasses release until late 2027, focusing on privacy features to avoid the issues plaguing Meta's wearable cameras.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has postponed the launch of its first smart glasses. Originally expected in early 2027, the device will now be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2027 and become available by the end of the year.
The delay gives Apple time to refine both the product and its privacy messaging. The company appears to have taken note of concerns surrounding Meta's smart glasses, sometimes called "pervert glasses," which have been used for non-consensual video recordings. For Apple, which heavily markets its privacy commitment, such a backlash could be especially damaging.
Apple is reportedly planning to emphasize privacy-friendly features such as on-device processing and the absence of facial recognition. It will also likely avoid using customer recordings to train AI models and is unlikely to follow Meta's reported practice of hiring contractors to review user footage.
