Apple is banking on privacy to set its smart glasses apart

Skip to main contentThey’re expected be revealed next June at WWDC.They’re expected be revealed next June at WWDC.by Jul 26, 2026, 7:36 PM UTCTerrence O'Brien is the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.According to Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to reveal its first smart glasses at WWDC next June, with an expectation that they’ll launch by the end of 2027. Part of the hold-up may be around the company’s efforts to get its privacy features and messaging in order. Smart glasses in general, and Meta’s in particular, have ignited controversy over their ability to stealthily capture photos and videos. As Gurman points out:The company has spent more than a decade making privacy one of its defining product messages. Simply entering the same category as Meta risks undermining that reputation, regardless of how Apple’s approach differs.Apple is likely to rely on on-device processing and skip out on more controversial features like facial recognition or an always-on-recording similar to Meta’s “super sensing.” Gurman also believes Apple will avoid using customer recordings to train AI models.Other hardware and software privacy features are also reportedly in the works. It’s also possible that Apple could eventually release a version of its smart glasses without a camera, or with a camera that is exclusively for sensing and won’t be able to capture video or photos at all, similar to what is rumored for Apple’s AI-enabled AirPods.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Terrence O'BrienThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.