Apple’s Smart Glasses Are Stepping Into a Privacy Minefield

Smart glasses are attracting some big names. There’s Meta, of course, which is already well out ahead of the pack with several pairs for sale, but there’s also Samsung and Google waiting in the wings, both with confirmed ambitions in the smart glasses field. Even Apple, though it hasn’t confirmed anything yet, seems to be eyeing the space with recent reports indicating that it could have several pairs of smart glasses ready for 2027, all of which are expected to be designed in-house, unlike Google’s and Meta’s. Clearly, big tech sees an opportunity in smart glasses, but for that last huge name, Apple, the potential reward could actually be one big risk. The thing about smart glasses is they’re not like other gadgets. Sure, they have some of the same functionality as wireless earbuds, or a phone, or a smartwatch, but there are specific quirks that make them stand out, like the fact that they’re inherently discreet. If you’re looking for the cameras on a pair of Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, you’ll see them, but for the most part, they blend in. In my experience testing smart glasses, most people don’t realize I even have them on—and I’ve asked specifically. And the safety features meant