Apple Smart Glasses Could Debut at WWDC 2027; Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Enter Testing
Apple is reportedly advancing work on its first pair of smart glasses alongside the next generation of Apple Watch models. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company is aiming to unveil its smart glasses as early as WWDC 2027, while three new Apple Watch models, including the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, are currently undergoing testing.
Apple Smart Glasses: Privacy Takes Center Stage
Apple’s first smart glasses, internally codenamed N50, are reportedly on track for an announcement at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2027, with commercial availability expected later that year.
The company is expected to introduce the glasses ahead of their retail launch, giving developers sufficient time to create applications for the new wearable platform. At the same time, Apple is placing a strong emphasis on privacy, particularly amid growing concerns surrounding camera-equipped smart glasses introduced by competitors such as Meta.
According to Gurman, Apple’s Vision hardware division and the teams working on the glasses consider privacy one of the product’s highest priorities. The company is reportedly refining both the hardware and software experience to ensure stronger privacy protections before launch.
Apple is expected to introduce several privacy-focused features, including:
- On-device processing to keep data handled locally.
- No facial recognition functionality.
- Customer recordings will not be used to train AI models.
- No continuous environmental analysis similar to Meta’s "super-sensing" mode.
In addition, Apple is reportedly developing further hardware and software safeguards. The company is also expected to avoid practices such as having contractors review recordings captured by the glasses, following earlier concerns related to Siri voice recordings.
During development, Apple has explored multiple hardware configurations for the smart glasses, including:
- A version without cameras that still supports AI-powered features, audio playback, and phone calls.
- A camera-equipped version limited to AI-based visual recognition without supporting photo or video recording.
While removing recording capabilities could strengthen user privacy, it may also eliminate features such as first-person photo and video capture, which have become one of the most popular aspects of modern smart glasses.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 in Development
Apple is also reportedly conducting late-stage testing of three Apple Watch models expected to launch in 2026:
- Apple Watch Series 12 Wi-Fi model (codenamed N237)
- Apple Watch Series 12 Cellular model (codenamed N238)
- Apple Watch Ultra 4 (codenamed N240)
According to Gurman, Apple is not currently planning to introduce a new Apple Watch SE model in 2026. This follows the launch of the Apple Watch SE 3 in 2025 and reflects the longer refresh cycle traditionally associated with the SE lineup.
Rather than introducing a major design overhaul, Apple is reportedly focusing on internal upgrades across the upcoming models. Expected improvements include:
- Enhanced health and fitness tracking capabilities.
- New-generation chips offering improved performance.
- Updated internal hardware components.
Apple is also said to be working on a more significant Apple Watch redesign, although that refresh is not expected to arrive for another one to two years. Additionally, development of non-invasive blood glucose monitoring technology continues, with the feature potentially arriving later this decade.
With several months of development still ahead, more information about Apple’s smart glasses and next-generation Apple Watch lineup is expected to emerge as the products move closer to their official debut.