According to Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to unveil its first smart glasses at WWDC next June, with an expected launch by the end of 2027. One of the key selling points for these devices may well be their strong emphasis on privacy.

The company has long made privacy a cornerstone of its messaging and entering the realm of smart glasses might risk undermining that reputation if it mirrors the controversial practices of competitors like Meta, which has faced criticism over its ability to capture photos and videos discreetly. Apple is expected to avoid such features as facial recognition or an always-on recording, similar to Meta’s 'super sensing' technology.

Other hardware and software privacy measures are reportedly in development. It's possible that the final product could be released without a camera altogether, or with one strictly for sensing rather than capturing video or photos. This cautious approach might also extend to using customer recordings solely for training AI models, avoiding any potential misuse of data.

While this focus on privacy is laudable, it remains to be seen how practical these measures will be in a world increasingly dependent on constant connectivity and data collection. Nevertheless, Apple’s commitment to privacy may set its smart glasses apart from the competition.