Privacy concerns reportedly delay Apple's smart glasses launch
Apple is delaying its smart glasses release as it grapples with privacy issues, considering models without cameras or with disabled photo/video functions.
Apple, poised to enter the smart glasses market, is reportedly facing significant privacy challenges. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, teams within Apple's Vision hardware group and other departments view privacy as their top priority. To address these concerns, Apple is developing new hardware and software privacy features not found in current products.
On the software side, Apple is likely to adopt measures similar to Meta's, such as disabling recording if the recording indicator light is tampered with. More drastically, Apple is considering stripped-down versions of its smart glasses: one option without a camera at all, and another with a full camera system but no ability to take photos or videos.
Originally expected to debut this year, Apple's smart glasses have been pushed to 2027. Gurman reports that Apple will unveil them at WWDC 2027, with a release by the end of that year. In the meantime, Apple can observe the privacy debates surrounding Meta's AI glasses, which recently faced a class action lawsuit.
