Apple’s rumored smart glasses could enter a rapidly expanding wearable-computing market, with global AI glasses shipments rising 263% year over year during the first half of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. The market’s current growth is being driven overwhelmingly by glasses without built-in displays, a format that aligns with reports about Apple’s initial product.

Apple’s first glasses are expected to focus on audio, cameras, Siri and iPhone connectivity rather than augmented reality visuals. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that Apple is targeting a late 2027 release, with a possible introduction at WWDC 2027 and a strong emphasis on privacy.

Display-free AI glasses lead the market

Display-less AI glasses represented 96% of worldwide shipments during the first half of 2026. Counterpoint said shipments in the category increased 258% compared with the same period in 2025 and rose 22% from the preceding six months.

These products typically combine cameras, speakers, microphones and AI functions without placing a screen in front of the wearer’s eyes. Ray-Ban Meta glasses are a leading example, offering photography, audio, calling and AI features while retaining a conventional glasses design.

The figures suggest Apple would be entering an established product category rather than attempting to immediately popularize full augmented reality eyewear. A display-free design could also avoid some of the technical and social challenges associated with putting screens into everyday glasses.

Meta has a commanding early lead

Meta currently accounts for approximately 94% of total AI glasses shipments, according to Counterpoint. Its shipment volume grew 260% year over year and 22% sequentially during the period covered by the research.

Counterpoint attributed Meta’s expansion to additional frame styles, broader retail availability and new glasses priced from $299. That gives Meta a substantial head start before Apple’s reported product launch and provides an existing reference point for consumers considering AI-enabled eyewear.

AR glasses remain a longer-term possibility

Glasses with displays made up only 4% of the AI glasses market in the first half of 2026. However, shipments in that segment grew 449% year over year, indicating faster percentage growth from a much smaller base.

Apple’s more advanced augmented reality glasses are not expected until 2029 at the earliest. The reported 2027 product would therefore represent a more limited step into the category, using audio and cameras instead of attempting to deliver a complete visual AR experience.

Privacy and hardware costs could shape adoption

Counterpoint identified rising semiconductor costs and public discomfort with wearable cameras as potential barriers to continued growth. Those concerns could make privacy a central part of Apple’s product strategy if the company proceeds with the reported launch.

The research firm nevertheless expects investment from Apple, Meta, Google and Samsung to push AI glasses toward more proactive assistants. Future products could use AI to interpret their surroundings and provide help based on context, expanding the role of glasses beyond photography, calls and audio playback.