While other tech companies have chosen to join forces with historic eyewear brands to give their products a familiar and fashionable appearance, Apple seems intent on going its own way.
The idea of collaborating with iconic brands, a path followed with notable success by Meta through its models developed together with Ray-Ban, is not on the company’s agenda.
Smart glasses, Apple is testing four different proprietary designs
The choice is to keep the design development entirely in-house, building a visually entirely new and original identity from scratch.
This is a bold decision, but perfectly in line with the philosophy of a company that has already managed to transform wireless earbuds and smartwatches into true, highly trendy personal accessories. The aim is to create a device that is immediately recognizable without relying on third-party credibility.
The current development direction represents a notable downscaling compared to the grand initial projects. In past years, plans for wearables on the face included extremely ambitious concepts, with a strong emphasis on complex augmented reality and fully immersive headsets.
Of that original roadmap, the only device to have actually reached consumers was the Apple Vision Pro, while the other ideas were revised or postponed.
Today the focus has shifted to a much more measured approach oriented toward everyday life. Future smart glasses will not attempt to overlay complex digital elements on the real world, giving up entirely on having a display.
The intelligence behind the lenses and the N50 project
Without a screen at hand, user interaction will depend almost entirely on the voice assistant. The success of the operation is strongly tied to an evolved version of Siri, capable of correctly interpreting the visual context captured by the sensors and offering information or performing actions proactively.
The device, currently known within the development offices by the codename N50, will feature distinctive physical details designed to visually distinguish it.
According to the rumors reported by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the lenses could take “an oval shape with a vertical orientation“, enhanced by a dedicated lighting system positioned along the edges.
The main features will include capturing photos and videos, listening to music, managing calls, and receiving notifications.
The entire experience will greatly benefit from the existing ecosystem, enabling the iPhone to easily edit and share the captured multimedia files.
Models in testing phase and timelines
To ensure capturing the tastes of a diverse audience, engineers are simultaneously testing up to four different frame variants, exploring options able to fit every facial contour.
The prototypes currently being tested include a large rectangular model, echoing the volumes of the famous Wayfarer, paired with an always-rectangular but thinner version, very similar to the glasses Tim Cook typically wears.
To these squared geometries, two alternatives with softer lines are added: a large frame of circular or oval shape and a similar variant designed for more petite facial features.
The offering will also be built across several colorways; early reports indicate tests on colors such as black, ocean blue, and light brown.
The official unveiling of this new product category could take place between the end of 2026 and the first months of 2027, with an actual commercial rollout planned within the same year.
