Technologies

Apple’s AI Smart Glasses to Arrive in 2026, According to Report

The iPhone and Vision Pro maker is playing catchup with Meta and Google.

Apple’s take on smart glasses could arrive next year, according to a report from Bloomberg on Thursday. While the description of the specs sound a lot like what Meta and Google are doing in that area, Apple has a reputation for fashion-forward and iconic products that could help set it apart as it plays catchup.

The glasses are expected to ship late in 2026 with cameras, microphones and speakers, as well as multimodal AI that could respond to requests via Siri and that can «see» and analyze the environment of the wearer, Bloomberg reported.

The report comes just two days after Google’s I/O conference, where the company revealed more details about its Android XR platform, alongside partners including Warby Parker, for creating smart glasses offerings.

The smart glasses from Apple would be distinct from the company’s Vision Pro VR headset, a well-reviewed but bulky and expensive product that has failed to catch on with consumers.

The Bloomberg report also said that Apple is scrapping plans to put a camera in its Apple Watch devices.

Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

Will Apple’s smart glasses just be more of the same?

According to the report, Apple’s smart glasses will ship with cameras, microphones and speakers, all of which are necessary for the rumored AI feature expected to come from them. The wearer will be able to perform several actions you can do on a smartphone today, like controlling music playback and asking Siri questions.

However, the AI smarts will kick it up by being able to see what the user does, not unlike Google’s Gemini Live camera mode and what can be currently available with Meta’s Ray-Ban Glasses. But as with the AI-Powered Siri we’re still patiently waiting for, Apple’s smart glasses could be something special if the device pans out.

Apple plans to begin producing prototypes by the end of the year, according to unnamed people close to the matter cited by Bloomberg. The hands-free device is also expected to ship with a dedicated chip Apple has designed specifically for the product.

Apple’s aiming for augmented reality above all else

Apparently this particular pair of glasses isn’t Apple’s true ambition. The report says that Apple’s ultimate goal is to create a pair of augmented reality glasses and this product is but a milestone towards that. While augmented reality has been around for some time now, a proper implementation in smart glasses is something we’ve yet to see, but we know it’s coming.

This is far from the first time we’ve heard of Apple looking into creating AR glasses or a product to go head to head with Meta’s Ray-Bans. Apple doesn’t typically have a problem with being late to market with its products, so it’s fair to assume it’s not rushing on what could be a solid product segment for it.

For more, don’t miss CNET’s coverage on how Android XR and Apple will be key to normalizing smart glasses.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Jan. 23

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 23.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Hope you’re familiar with a certain blond actor (8-Across)! Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Attach, as one plant to another
Answer: GRAFT

6A clue: Email button with a backward-facing arrow
Answer: REPLY

7A clue: Make very excited
Answer: AMPUP

8A clue: Two-time Best Actor nominee Nick
Answer: NOLTE

9A clue: Total dork
Answer: DWEEB

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Word that can precede piano, total or staircase
Answer: GRAND

2D clue: Cut again, as a lawn
Answer: REMOW

3D clue: Company whose logo has a bite taken out of it
Answer: APPLE

4D clue: Champagne glass
Answer: FLUTE

5D clue: Laid-back kind of personality
Answer: TYPEB

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

‘Is Microsoft Down?’ Outlook and Teams Go Dark in Widespread Outage

It’s not just you: Numerous Microsoft services weren’t working most of Thursday, and the outage is continuing.

Thursday has been a tough work day for many — or maybe, a great one, depending on how eager you are to access work-related programs. Microsoft services, including Outlook, Teams and Microsoft 365 are experiencing a significant outage that’s still going on as of early evening, Pacific time. Microsoft hasn’t announced an expected time when everything will be back up and running.

You can follow the official Microsoft 365 Status account on the social-media platform X, which has been regularly posting updates about the outage.

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The first post there, from 11:37 a.m. PT, said that the company was «investigating a potential issue impacting multiple Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Purview. Further information can be found in the admin center under MO1221364.»

The admin center is the dashboard for IT admins managing Microsoft 365 services.

You can also monitor Microsoft’s Service Health Status page. That page is noting that «users may be seeing degraded service functionality or be unable to access multiple Microsoft 365 services.»

A representative for Microsoft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Ring’s Latest Feature Lets You Verify Shared Security Videos

With so many fake videos out there, the home-security company is adding a level of protection.

Popular home security brand Ring announced that videos shared from its devices can now be verified, so customers know they’re watching an authentic, unaltered video. Ring says the new verification process is similar to a security seal on a package or medicine bottle, indicating that no one has tampered with it.

The new feature is available starting Thursday, and it doesn’t matter which Ring device recorded the video. All videos downloaded directly from the Ring app are automatically verified and include a security seal for authenticity.

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When someone sends you a Ring video, you can now visit Ring’s verification page, paste the video link, and determine immediately whether the video is verified. The website doesn’t send your video anywhere. It stays locally on your device, and all verification checks happen within your browser. The verification website only accepts MP4 files, the format Ring videos are saved.

Videos downloaded before December 2025 or edited videos cannot be verified. Ring says that even minor adjustments, such as shaving a couple of seconds off the beginning or end of a video, or even adjusting brightness levels, will render it unverifiable.