Apple is reportedly aiming to launch smart glasses designed to appeal to a broader mass market than the Vision Pro headset. According to a new report from Bloomberg, the company intends to put some of the $1 billion in R&D investment from Vision Pro’s visual intelligence into more products, including smart glasses that rival Meta’s Ray-Ban models. It is said that The product is expected to be launched in 2027.
The report also noted that Apple continues to develop AirPods with outward-facing cameras and is experimenting with visual intelligence features for both.
The news comes as Apple faces the challenge of its expensive $3,500 Vision Pro headset remaining a niche product. Meta’s AR glasses, which recently had an AI upgrade, received solid reviews. Product prices start at $299.
Apple is also working to lower the price of the Vision Pro by offering lower-end models with less advanced chips and features for nearly half the price, the report said.
Rather than staying ahead of the curve, Apple has spent recent years chasing existing hot technologies, from mixed reality headsets to AI capabilities. While Apple’s rumored smart glasses aren’t expected to be released for several years, Meta has an advantage in this space, especially as it continues to improve its hardware and software and expand its ecosystem of services. We are poised to establish this.
Meanwhile, Apple plans to launch its long-awaited Vision Intelligence AI feature for iPhones in late October to compete with rival phones that already have similar tools.
