Apple is said to be working on developing smart glasses with a built-in camera and AirPods for release in 2027. bloombergI’m Mark Garman. These devices are said to be part of Apple’s efforts to expand its augmented reality product lineup with broader appeal beyond the Vision Pro headset.
The push for new AR products comes as Vision Pro faces market challenges. Many users feel that $3,500 headsets are relegated to niche status because they are too heavy, expensive, and prone to overheating for extended use. Interest in the device has reportedly waned since its launch, with sales falling below Apple’s expectations.
In the latest “Power On” newsletter, Gurman reports that Apple’s Vision Products Group is now looking beyond the Vision Pro to launch smart glasses that rival Meta’s Ray-Ban collaboration. I am. Equipped with smart glasses and a camera, AirPods aim to leverage the billions invested in Vision Pro’s visual intelligence capabilities. This technology allows devices to analyze their surrounding environment and provide relevant information to users.
A software update expected later this year will bring similar functionality to iPhone 16 models. Users can open the camera app, point to an object, and use a click-and-hold gesture to get information about that object. For example, you can hold it over a restaurant to see its opening hours and ratings, and hold it over a plant to identify that plant. When you use a visual control on something that has a date, such as a flyer, the date is added to the Calendar app.
Apple’s smart glasses and camera-equipped AirPods are still in the planning stages, but are said to represent Apple’s strategy to bring augmented reality capabilities to more accessible form factors. The company is reportedly concerned about its current position in the AR market, and Meta already offers smart glasses at a lower price point.
Gurman also mentioned Apple’s near-term Vision Pro iteration plans. A lower-priced version of the headset, priced at around $2,000, could arrive as early as next year, and a second-generation Vision Pro with an upgraded processor is reportedly expected to arrive in 2026.
