Apple’s next wearable could be a camera-equipped pendant, alongside smart glasses
Apple is developing two new wearable products that could arrive as early as next year, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The more advanced of the two is a pair of smart glasses, expected to be unveiled in late 2026 or early 2027 but not released until 2027 at the earliest. The second is a smaller, more experimental device, an AirTag-sized pendant with a camera, that remains in early development and could still be cancelled. Neither product has been officially acknowledged by Apple.
Apple’s smart glasses
Apple’s smart glasses are the more developed project and the one closer to a real product. Like the Meta Ray-Bans, they will have built-in cameras for capturing photos and videos, speakers and microphones for music, calls, and Siri notifications. The key differentiator Apple is reportedly focusing on is tight iPhone integration — the cameras on the glasses are expected to feed data directly to Siri and Apple Intelligence, enabling features like turn-by-turn walking directions based on what the glasses see.
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Apple is reportedly designing its own plastic frames rather than partnering with an established eyewear brand. Meta uses Ray-Ban frames from EssilorLuxottica, while Google and Samsung are reportedly working with Warby Parker. Apple appears to be going its own way on design, currently testing at least four frame styles, including a larger rectangular Wayfarer-like shape, a slimmer rectangular design similar to what Apple CEO Tim Cook wears, and larger and smaller oval or circular options. Colour options being explored include black, ocean blue, and light brown, with vertically-oriented oval camera lenses.
Gurman does not expect Apple’s first smart glasses to include an in-lens augmented reality display, which puts them in the same category as Meta Ray-Bans – camera and audio glasses rather than true AR eyewear. That is a distinction for anyone expecting Apple to leapfrog Meta on the technology front out of the gate.
The Pendant
The pendant is the more unusual product. Gurman describes it as AirTag-sized, worn either clipped to clothing or on a cord as a necklace, with an always-on camera and a microphone for Siri voice commands. It has its own chip but relies on a paired iPhone for processing, making it an iPhone accessory rather than a standalone device. This distinction separates it from the Humane AI Pin, which it visually resembles but is philosophically different from. Apple is reportedly still debating whether to add a speaker.
The pendant is at an earlier stage than the glasses and could still be cancelled. A 2027 launch is possible but not certain.
Apple entering smart glasses puts it in direct competition with Meta, which has already iterated through two generations of Ray-Bans and has a growing user base. Google and Samsung are also working on their own versions. Apple’s advantages are its ecosystem depth and the iPhone’s processing power as a backend for these devices. Whether those advantages translate into a meaningfully better experience than Meta’s glasses will depend on execution.
The pendant has no real direct comparison currently on the market at this scale. The Humane AI Pin failed partly because it was standalone and required its own subscription. An iPhone-tethered version of that idea, made by Apple with Siri and Apple Intelligence behind it, is a different proposition, though whether it solves a problem people actually have remains an open question.
Both products are at least a year away, and the pendant may not arrive at all. If you are considering the Meta Ray-Bans right now, they remain the most tested smart glasses product available. If you are an iPhone user who can wait, Apple’s glasses will almost certainly offer a tighter integration with your existing devices.
