Apple Smart Glasses Won't Arrive Until Late 2027: 5 Best Alternatives to Buy Now
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman dropped a bombshell on May 31: Apple's first smart glasses — internally codenamed N50 — have been delayed from a late-2026 reveal to a consumer launch at the very end of 2027. The culprit is the same issue that has plagued Apple's AI ambitions for months: Siri's visual-AI overhaul is proving far harder to perfect than anticipated. For buyers who were hoping Apple would enter the smart glasses race this year, that means at least 18 months of waiting. Here are five smart glasses worth buying right now instead.
Why the Delay
Apple's revamped Siri with visual AI is the primary bottleneck. The N50 glasses depend on features that aren't ready yet.
Best Alternative
Meta Ray-Ban at $379 offers the closest experience to what Apple is building — AI camera glasses you can wear every day.
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Browse every option in our smart glasses guide or use the compare hub.
Why Are Apple Smart Glasses Delayed to 2027?
The N50 smart glasses were originally planned for a late-2026 announcement with shipping in early 2027. But Apple's revamped Siri — the foundation for the glasses' AI features — remains the single most consistent source of delays across the company's entire product roadmap. The visual AI technology that would allow the glasses to understand what their cameras see and respond intelligently is proving exceptionally difficult to get right. Apple is also reportedly developing a lighter, cheaper Vision Pro successor called "Vision Air," now pushed to 2028–2029.
1. Meta Ray-Ban — Best Overall AI Smart Glasses ($379)
The Meta Ray-Ban is the closest thing to what Apple is building with N50. You get a 12MP camera, Meta AI that can identify objects and answer questions about what you see, open-ear speakers, and a design that looks like regular Ray-Ban Wayfarers. The Gen 2 model launched in September 2025 with double the battery life and a 3K camera upgrade. At $379, it is the most polished AI glasses experience available today.
2. Even Realities G2 — Best Display-First Smart Glasses
The Even Realities G2 takes a different approach: a proper heads-up display in glasses that look genuinely normal. There are no cameras, which eliminates the privacy concerns that follow Meta Ray-Ban everywhere. The G2 focuses on notifications, navigation, and AI-assisted information delivered through a subtle in-lens display. It recently made headlines for appearing as functional equipment in the 007 First Light game — a sign that smart glasses are going mainstream.
3. XREAL One Pro — Best for Entertainment and AR ($599)
If you want the fullest augmented reality experience available today, the XREAL One Pro delivers a 57-degree field of view with spatial computing built in. It is a different category than Apple's planned AI companion glasses — this is a wearable display for movies, gaming, and productivity. At $599, it sits at the premium end, but nothing else matches its combination of FOV, brightness, and the X1 spatial computing chip. The new xbx a01 at $299 offers a more affordable entry point if you are willing to trade some specs.
4. Brilliant Labs Halo — Best for Privacy ($349)
The Brilliant Labs Halois the privacy-conscious buyer's answer to Meta Ray-Ban. At just over 40 grams, it processes all AI workloads on-device using Alif Semiconductor's Balletto B1 chip — no data ever leaves the glasses. It includes a color heads-up display, a conversational AI agent called Noa with long-term memory, and all-day battery life. At $349, it undercuts Meta Ray-Ban while offering a fundamentally different privacy architecture.
5. Acer GI0 — Best Budget AI Glasses Coming Late 2026 ($299)
Acer surprised everyone at Computex 2026 with the GI0 — a 46-gram pair of Gemini-powered AI glasses with a 12MP camera at just $299. If Acer delivers on its late-2026 availability promise, this could be the most affordable AI smart glasses from a major brand. The companion GR0 AR display glasses at $499 offer a wearable screen alternative for entertainment buyers.
Should You Wait for Apple or Buy Now?
With Apple's glasses at least 18 months away, the calculus is straightforward: if you want AI-powered smart glasses today, the Meta Ray-Ban at $379 is the best overall pick. You will get a full year and a half of daily use before Apple even ships. If privacy matters more than features, the Brilliant Labs Halo at $349 is compelling. And if you want a wearable display rather than AI, the XREAL lineup has options from $299 to $599. The smart glasses market is not waiting for Apple — and neither should you.
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Smart Glasses FAQ
Common questions about Apple smart glasses and alternatives
Quick answers to help you decide whether to wait for Apple or buy smart glasses now.
When will Apple smart glasses be released?
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's N50 smart glasses have been delayed to late 2027. The original plan was a late-2026 announcement with early-2027 availability, but Siri AI development setbacks pushed the timeline back by roughly a year.
What are the best alternatives to Apple smart glasses right now?
The top alternatives in 2026 are the Meta Ray-Ban ($379) for the most polished AI glasses experience, Even Realities G2 for a heads-up display without cameras, XREAL One Pro ($599) for AR entertainment, and Brilliant Labs Halo ($349) for privacy-first on-device AI.
Will Apple smart glasses have a display like Vision Pro?
No. Apple's N50 glasses are expected to function as an iPhone companion with cameras, speakers, and microphones — similar to Meta Ray-Ban — rather than offering full AR displays. A lighter Vision Pro successor called Vision Air is tracking for 2028-2029.
Should I wait for Apple smart glasses or buy Meta Ray-Ban now?
With at least 18 months until Apple's glasses launch, buying the Meta Ray-Ban now makes sense if you want AI-powered smart glasses today. You'll get 1.5+ years of use, and the technology will likely improve significantly by the time Apple enters the market.