Apple Takes on Meta in the Smart Glasses Race — A Tech Shake-Up Begins

Apple is reportedly pausing its plans to update the Vision Pro headset and redirecting resources to accelerate the development of smart glasses.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple has reportedly suspended its plans to update the Vision Pro headset and redirected its resources toward a more urgent mission — developing smart glasses to compete directly with Meta’s products. Industry observers expect Apple's entry into the market to trigger a major shake-up in the smart glasses industry.

Meta, which has long invested in smart glasses, currently dominates the market with dozens of related products and a global market share of about 70%. Meanwhile, brands such as Xiaomi, HTC, Huawei, Alibaba, Google, and Samsung are racing to catch up, hoping to claim a slice of this rapidly growing market.

Overview: Apple Reportedly Accelerating Development of AI Glasses

According to a Bloomberg report, Apple had originally planned to launch a more affordable and lightweight version of the Vision Pro headset, codenamed N100, with a target release date in 2027. However, sources familiar with the matter revealed that Apple announced internally last week it would reassign the project's team to focus on accelerating the development of smart glasses.

Sources say Apple is currently developing at least two versions of smart glasses. The first, codenamed N50, will pair with the iPhone and does not include a built-in display. It is expected to be unveiled as early as next year and released in 2027. The second model, which will feature an integrated display, aims to compete with Meta's newly launched Ray-Ban Meta Display smart glasses and is tentatively planned for 2028, though Apple is seeking to speed up the timeline.

Apple's smart glasses are expected to come in various styles and be powered by new chips. They will feature built-in speakers for music playback, cameras, and voice control functions integrated with the iPhone. The company is also exploring the integration of health-tracking features. Apple declined to comment on the report.

Despite the reshuffling of its project priorities, Apple still lags far behind Meta in the wearable device sector. Meta launched its first smart glasses, Ray-Ban Stories, in 2021, followed by the Ray-Ban Meta in 2023, which became an unexpected hit. In September, Meta updated its display-free model with an improved camera, longer battery life, and new sport-focused designs. For Meta, smart glasses have become a key foothold in its hardware strategy.

Apple's smart glasses will rely heavily on voice interaction and artificial intelligence (AI) — two areas where Apple has not excelled. The rollout of its Apple Intelligence platform has been slow, and the upgrade of Siri has been delayed. The company is now racing to catch up, aiming to release an enhanced Siri as early as March next year, which will serve as a core AI assistant for new devices such as smart glasses, speakers, displays, and cameras.

Other tech giants are also ramping up their efforts in next-generation AI hardware. Amazon and Google are accelerating their development of AI-driven devices, while OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has teamed up with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to create a new line of AI-based products.

Bloomberg's analysis suggests that Apple's strategic shift toward smart glasses stems from the lukewarm reception of the $3,499 Vision Pro, despite years of hype. Still, the company reportedly plans to release a minorly upgraded Vision Pro later this year, featuring a faster processor.

The report adds that Apple has not completely abandoned its Vision Pro revision plans and may still introduce a lighter, lower-cost version in the future. After all, Apple has spent a decade and billions of dollars developing the first-generation Vision Pro.

Source of Information: Money Udn