Apple is Prepared to Dive into the Realm of Smart Glasses, Hoping for Comfortable Design
Apple is Prepared to Dive into the Realm of Smart Glasses, Hoping for Comfortable Design
Apple is reportedly contemplating a shift in its mixed reality strategy, according to credible Apple analysts. These sources suggest that the tech giant might be abandoning plans for a budget-friendly Vision Pro headset and instead focusing on a pair of smart glasses. The situation is still developing, and Apple could potentially end up with a product that falls somewhere between Meta's $300 Ray-Ban glasses and the prototype Meta Orion. I'm still yearning for a company to produce a pair of glasses that are comfortable to wear all day.
Recent whispers have hinted at Apple's smart glasses aspirations. On Monday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple had conducted an internal survey for an initiative named Atlas. Gurman's anonymous sources claimed that Apple was soliciting employee feedback on smart glasses. According to the letter cited by Bloomberg, the company was exploring the need for staff to contribute their thoughts on an "upcoming user study with current market smart glasses."
Interestingly, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo announced on his Twitter page on Sunday that Apple was postponing its plans for a cheaper Apple Vision Pro "beyond 2027." Instead, the most promising development on the AVP front seems to be a new Pro model in 2025, equipped with an M5 processor. The current model utilizes an M2 chip, and it's already more than powerful enough for most tasks you can perform with it. The current Vision Pro retails for $3,500, and Apple CEO Tim Cook has openly admitted that it's a niche device with limited market appeal.
At the moment, the field of smart glasses is relatively small. Leading contenders include XReal, which manufactures the Air 2 Ultra and the Beam Pro. Wilder concepts include the Spacetop G1, a laptop-AR glasses hybrid developed by Sightful. Lastly, there's Meta, whose Orion prototype is still expensive and exclusive. We've had the opportunity to test the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which are sufficient for photography and phone calls, but they're hardly the next big thing in AI wearables in their current state.
Meta was apparently surprised by the success of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Some of that success can be attributed to brand recognition, as the glasses' elongated frame allows them to accommodate twin sensors without looking out of place on a beachgoer's face. After several high-profile tech companies attempted to lure the glasses manufacturer, Meta appears to have sealed a deal with EssilorLuxottica, the Ray-Ban brand's owner. The company released an updated version of the glasses this year, featuring transition lenses.
However, the added weight of the Ray-Bans makes them less comfortable than regular sunglasses, especially for extended use. Apple has a reputation for prioritizing form over function, as evidenced by the Vision Pro's metal frame and bulky external display, which make it a heavier headset than its competitors like the Meta Quest 3 and 3S.
The ultimate goal for any tech company is a pair of true AR glasses that enable users to see and project content directly in front of their eyes. Meta and Apple both envision a wearable computer that serves as an extension of our senses, blurring the line between the digital and physical worlds. I, for one, am simply hoping for a company to create a pair of glasses that I actually want to wear on a daily basis, despite Silicon Valley's tendency to cram as many features as possible into a single device. Sometimes, less really is more.
The internal survey at Apple, named Atlas, is focused on gathering employee feedback for an "upcoming user study with current market smart glasses." (source: Bloomberg)
Despite Apple's reputation for prioritizing form over function, the company's future in tech might lie in the development of comfortable and less bulky smart glasses. (source: author's interpretation)