Working through four different frame styles, the options range from a large rectangular shape to a slimmer version, similar to the glasses often worn by Tim Cook. There are also two rounded options, one larger, one smaller.

Apple is equally trying out colours including black, ocean blue and light brown, hence, the design is not final. Apple could choose one style or release more than one, depending on how testing goes.

These glasses will not include a display. Instead, Apple is focusing on simple, everyday functions. Users will be able to take photos and videos, answer calls, listen to music and speak to Siri. The cameras are expected to use oval-shaped lenses.

Apple had earlier explored more advanced mixed reality devices, but those plans have not moved smoothly. Its headset, the Apple Vision Pro, drew attention at launch but couldn’t gain wide use, partly due to its high price and size.

Now, Apple appears to be taking a more practical route. These glasses are lighter and easier to wear in daily life. The idea is to build something people will actually use, rather than something ambitious but difficult to adopt.

Competition is already building as Meta Platforms has partnered with EssilorLuxottica to produce Ray-Ban smart glasses, which are already on sale and have gained some traction. 

Other companies are not standing still, with Google and Samsung Electronics working together on their own glasses, while Snap Inc. plans to release a new version of its Specs in 2026.

Apple’s strategy, at least for now, rests on design and usability. In offering different smart glasses frame styles, it is trying to appeal to a wider group of users, much like it did with the Apple Watch.

The company is still some distance from launch. However, its direction is to start simple, focus on everyday use, and build from there.

The post Apple Tests Multiple Smart Glasses Designs Ahead of 2027 Launch appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The two companies confirmed that future Specs devices will run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR platform, extending a partnership that already spans several generations of Snap’s earlier Spectacles hardware.

Those earlier devices mainly targeted developers and never reached wide consumer distribution in their AR form.

Snap has been building smart glasses for years. It first entered the category in 2016 with camera-equipped Spectacles.

Since then, it has moved towards more advanced augmented reality designs that place digital elements into the real world through see-through lenses. Those newer versions stayed within limited releases, largely focused on developers and testing.

Now the company is preparing a wider consumer rollout under its Specs unit, which it formally separated earlier this year to focus entirely on wearable computing.

The upcoming glasses will run standalone and are designed to overlay digital content onto physical surroundings, with built-in audio, visuals and interaction features.

The companies say the new hardware will rely on edge computing and on-device processing. This allows data to be handled directly on the device instead of relying heavily on cloud systems.

The approach is important to Snap’s vision for faster responses and more private interactions in everyday use.

Snap’s leadership sees the project as a step towards a more integrated form of computing.

“We believe the future of computing will be more human and grounded in the real world,” said Evan Spiegel, co-founder and chief executive of Snap Inc.

Qualcomm also described the partnership around more responsive and context-aware devices.

“The next era of computing will be defined by devices that understand what you see, hear and say,” said Cristiano Amon, president and chief executive of Qualcomm Incorporated.

The collaboration builds on more than five years of joint work between both firms. Qualcomm chips have powered earlier Snap Spectacles, particularly models aimed at developers experimenting with augmented reality tools.

This time, both companies say they want to scale that work for consumers. The agreement covers long-term roadmap planning, shared technical development, and support for developers building applications for the Specs platform.

Snap says this should help create a more stable environment for software creators working on AR experiences.

Competition in the smart glasses space is also intensifying. Meta Platforms has already gained early traction with its Ray-Ban smart glasses built with EssilorLuxottica.

Other major players, including Google, Samsung and Apple, are also developing their own versions of AR eyewear, with launches expected over the next few years.

This development comes at a sensitive time for Snap as it tries to expand beyond social media into hardware and immersive computing.

The Specs unit now sits at the centre of that strategy, with plans to attract external investment and build a long-term product line.

The agreement gives the unit a clearer technical base as it prepares for its first consumer product launch.

The post Snap Partners Qualcomm to Power Specs Smart Glasses Ahead of 2026 Consumer Launch appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The announcement adds options to a product line that has gained ground in a market where many AI gadgets have found it difficult to stay resilient.

This time, the company is targeting everyday users who rely on glasses, not just early adopters.

Speaking earlier this year, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said, “billions of people wear glasses or contacts for vision correction.” That point sits at the centre of Meta’s latest move, wanting smart eyewear to feel normal, not experimental.

The new models come in two styles, rectangular and rounded, and will be sold through regular eyewear channels. There is no display built into the lenses. Instead, the glasses rely on voice and audio, supported by a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR chipset.

Users can expect features such as real-time object recognition and location awareness. Meta has also improved the microphones and extended battery life, addressing some of the early complaints about performance.

The glasses are being developed with EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban. That partnership continues to give Meta access to a well-known fashion brand, which has helped the product blend into everyday use.

Smart glasses have turned into one of the few areas where AI hardware is finding some traction. While other devices have struggled to prove their usefulness, Meta’s approach leans on something people already wear.

Still, competition is building. Apple is said to be working on its own augmented reality glasses, although its focus remains on the Vision Pro headset for now. Snap has its Spectacles, but adoption has been limited.

Meta’s edge, for now, is the mix of familiar design and added function. In adding prescription support, the company is making a case for daily use rather than occasional novelty.

Pricing has not been confirmed, though earlier versions of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses sold between $299 and $379, suggesting a similar range.

There are still questions around features that recognise objects and capture audio and how data is collected and used. Meta has not given new details on that front with this launch.

The post Meta Launches Prescription Ray-Ban Smart Glasses appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

More than 200 people are said to be working on the project. The smart speaker will be the first device to launch and sources familiar with the plans say it is likely to cost between $200 and $300. However, it is not expected to ship before February 2027.

The speaker will reportedly include a camera which would allow the device to take in information about users and their surroundings. The report says the feature is designed to support more contextual responses and interactions.

Smart glasses are also in development, but mass production is unlikely before 2028. In addition, the company is said to be exploring a smart lamp and a wearable pin built for AI-powered interactions.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company formally entered the hardware market in 2025 when it acquired io Products, a startup founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, for $6.5 billion. Ive’s design studio is now working with OpenAI on the new devices.

This places OpenAI in competition with technology companies that are already developing or selling smart wearables.

Meta Platforms has recorded strong sales of its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which allow users to take photos, record video and stream content through built-in cameras. The glasses also support AI-driven features.

Apple is reportedly working on its own smart glasses while Google is still experimenting with augmented reality hardware after its earlier Google Glass project.

In building its own devices, OpenAI would better manage how users interact with its software. Instead of relying only on apps and partnerships, it could enhance the full experience, from hardware design to AI features.

However, devices built with cameras and sensors may attract regulatory review. Privacy issues are likely to surface, particularly in regions with strict data protection rules such as the European Union.

For now, the first expected product is the OpenAI smart speaker. If timelines are met, customers will not see it on shelves for at least another year.

The post OpenAI Developing Smart Speaker, Glasses and AI Devices, First Launch Set for 2027 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The report states that the feature, known internally as “Name Tag”, would allow users to identify people they are looking at and receive information about them through the company’s AI assistant. 

If approved, it would be a big step in how Meta integrates artificial intelligence into wearable devices.

Company discussions about the feature began early last year. Executives have weighed how to release a tool that carries what the report describes as “safety and privacy risks”. The final decision has not been confirmed, and plans could still change.

An internal memo quoted in the report shows that Meta once considered rolling out “Name Tag” to attendees at a conference for the visually impaired before making it widely available. That launch did not happen.

The same document also says the company has thought carefully about timing. “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns,” the document reads.

Meta had explored adding facial recognition to the first version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2021. At the time, the company dropped the idea, pointing to technical limits and ethical issues. 

Now, after stronger sales of its smart glasses and closer ties between technology firms and the current US administration, the proposal has returned to the table.

According to the report, Mark Zuckerberg sees facial recognition as a way to make the company’s AI assistant more useful and to distinguish its glasses from competing products.

Meta has not publicly confirmed when or if the feature will be released.

The post Meta Plans to Add Facial Recognition Feature to Smart Glasses, Report Says appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.