Apple is reportedly testing four different styles for its smart glasses and is seemingly keeping everything in-house

While others like Meta have leaned on big-name eyewear brands to make their tech glasses look less like a science project, Apple seems to be taking the road less traveled. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, Apple could launch some or all of the four styles it is currently testing for its smart glasses. Instead of partnering with brands like Ray-Ban, the iPhone maker is doing something very Apple.

Apple's design team has created at least four styles available in multiple color options, including black, ocean blue, and light brown. The designs include a large rectangular frame similar to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, a slimmer rectangular option, a larger oval or circular frame, and a smaller oval or circular alternative.

Internally codenamed N50, the glasses will compete directly with the second-gen Ray-Ban Meta model. To differentiate from Meta's offering, Apple's design incorporates a camera setup with vertically oriented oval lenses surrounded by lights. Like Meta's smart glasses, Apple's version will be simple wearable spectacles with integrated cameras for photos and video, microphones, and sensors, but designed to sync more tightly with an iPhone.

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They'll be able to relay notifications from your phone, capture personal photos and videos, play music, and enable interactions with AI features like upgraded Siri and visual intelligence capabilities. This will make them an iPhone accessory even more than the Apple Watch is.

Apple is also not cutting corners on quality. The frames are made from acetate, which is considered more durable and higher-quality than the standard plastic used by most brands. The goal for the design is to be as instantly recognizable as AirPods or an Apple Watch.

Interestingly, Apple's current approach to smart glasses is far from where it once was, when the company planned to jump straight to full-blown augmented reality. The only product from its original roadmap of head-worn immersive tech to make it to market is the Apple Vision Pro, while everything else has either been reworked or pushed further down the timeline. Apple may still be developing advanced AR glasses with integrated displays, but that vision appears to be much further out.

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Gurman reports that Apple plans to announce the glasses by the end of this year or early next year, with shipments beginning by the end of 2027. The launch could coincide with the improved Siri expected to arrive alongside iOS 27. On the rival front, Meta has also recently introduced two new AI Ray-Ban glasses with better prescription lens support and a more customizable fit.