Apple is accelerating development of three AI-powered wearable devices as part of a strategic shift toward artificial intelligence hardware, including smart glasses targeting production by December 2026 and public launch in 2027, an AI pendant that can be worn as a necklace or pinned to clothing, and camera-equipped AirPods, according to Bloomberg reporting on February 17 citing people with knowledge of the plans.
All three devices are being built around Apple's Siri digital assistant with upgraded capabilities that rely on visual context to carry out actions, marking Apple's push into wearable AI categories also being pursued by Meta Platforms and OpenAI. The products will connect to iPhones for processing power rather than operating as standalone devices, following Apple's ecosystem integration strategy.
Smart Glasses Positioned as Meta Ray-Ban Competitor
The smart glasses represent Apple's most advanced wearable AI offering and have progressed significantly in recent months with hardware engineering teams recently receiving prototypes. The glasses are code-named N50 internally and designed to compete directly with Meta's successful Ray-Ban smart glasses that have gained traction in the consumer market.
Apple's glasses will not include a display embedded in the lenses, instead relying on speakers, microphones, and a dual-camera system. One camera captures high-resolution photos and videos while a second provides computer vision capabilities to give the device environmental context similar to technology in Apple's Vision Pro headset.
Planned capabilities include interacting with Siri hands-free, making phone calls, listening to music, taking photos and videos, and asking questions about objects in the user's field of vision with detailed responses. The glasses could feature a version of Visual Intelligence that reads physical text like event dates from posters and adds information directly to the user's calendar, provides context-aware reminders, and offers live translation services.
For navigation, Siri may reference real-world landmarks rather than generic turn-by-turn directions, creating what Apple describes internally as an "all-day AI companion" that understands what users are seeing and doing in real time.
Design and Premium Positioning Strategy
Apple is focusing on build quality and premium materials to differentiate from Meta's offerings, using high-end materials including acrylic elements intended to provide a premium feel. The company considered partnering with existing eyewear brands and tested embedding hardware in off-the-shelf frames but decided to develop proprietary frames in-house.
The glasses will launch in multiple sizes and colors with plans to introduce additional styles over time. Early prototypes connect via cable to a standalone battery pack and iPhone, but newer versions integrate components directly into the frame. Production could begin as soon as December 2026 with public availability following in 2027.
In the longer term, Apple plans to develop smart glasses with augmented reality displays, but that product remains several years away from commercialization.
AI Pendant and Camera-Equipped AirPods in Development
The AI pendant device measures approximately the size of an AirTag and features a thin, flat, circular design with an aluminum-and-glass shell containing two cameras, a speaker, and three microphones. Unlike the failed Humane AI Pin which attempted to function as a standalone smartphone replacement, Apple's pendant will rely heavily on iPhone connectivity for processing.
The pendant won't include a display or projector system, positioning it as a simpler, lower-cost entry point to wearable AI compared to the smart glasses. Apple views the pendant as addressing potential social comfort concerns around wearing camera-equipped glasses in all settings.
Camera-equipped AirPods are at an earlier development stage compared to the glasses and pendant. The cameras would provide visual context for Siri interactions but with lower resolution capabilities than the smart glasses implementation.
Dependence on Next-Generation Siri Upgrades
All three products depend critically on significant upgrades to Siri that Apple has been developing but which continue facing delays. The company struck a major partnership with Google in January 2026 to leverage Google's AI capabilities, with Apple focusing on hardware design and user experience while leaning on Google for artificial intelligence processing power.
Industry observers note Apple risks repeating past situations where hardware products launched ready but waited on software capabilities to catch up. The success of these wearable devices hinges on whether Apple can deliver the smarter, visually-aware version of Siri in time for the planned 2027 smart glasses launch.
CEO Tim Cook expressed enthusiasm about the wearable AI push in a recent company meeting, stating "We're extremely excited about that," signaling executive backing and budget allocation to accelerate development from prototypes into production-ready consumer products.
