Apple’s quietly prepping smart glasses with AI powers for 2026.

These specs could do everything from phone calls to real-world analysis, but Apple’s still playing the long game with true AR.

Apple is moving full-speed toward launching its first pair of smart glasses by the end of 2026, positioning them as its answer to Meta’s Ray-Bans.

Internally known as N50 but now rebranded under the broader N401 project, the glasses are part of a bigger effort to merge AI and wearables in a way that feels less like a sci-fi stunt and more like a natural extension of your digital life.

Engineers are reportedly deep in prototype production with overseas partners starting later this year, pushing to lock in the 2026 window—while shelving a camera-loaded watch.

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These early glasses won’t feature full-blown AR, but they’ll still be packed: cameras, mics, speakers, and Siri baked in to support live translations, navigation, music, and calls—similar to what Meta is offering now, but with Apple’s tight hardware-software ecosystem likely at the center.

What’s notably not on Apple’s roadmap anymore?

A next-gen Apple Watch with a built-in camera and spatial awareness features.

That project’s been shelved, even as Apple doubles down on AI across its product line.

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All of this unfolds as OpenAI teams up with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to debut its own line of AI-first hardware, starting next year.

The new venture—powered by Ive’s hush-hush design firm, LoveFrom—is aiming to define a new category of intelligent devices, potentially giving Apple its first real design rival in years.

Apple’s smart glasses aren’t just a peek into the future of wearables—they’re a signal that Cupertino’s next big thing might be sitting right on your face.