Apple showed us what a mixed reality headset could be capable of with the debut of the Vision Pro at WWDC in 2023. It had all the bells and whistles required of an AR and VR headset from Apple, but didn’t find many takers. Perhaps because of its steep price tag or maybe, no one was ready for a headset positioning them into the spatial computing just yet.
For me, per se – it was the price, bulkiness, and small market size for a standalone device in the smart glasses category. Apple soon realized it after significant losses in projected sales. This is why rumors of Apple mulling the rollout of a more affordable non-Pro mixed reality headset model started doing the rounds.
Designer: Apple
Such a device would be made possible by trimming down the features and functionalities of the Vision Pro, but the Cupertino company has thought otherwise (at least for now). New reports by way of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is instead planning a pair of smart glasses that would be targeted at the masses – like the Meta’s Ray Bans – and fit better in the Apple ecosystem than the Vision Pro or its stripped-down brother.
The latest information suggests that the budget-friendly Vision model could have been postponed until after 2027, while the new internal study, codenamed project “Atlas” is running within Apple to understand from the company’s employees where they stand on the topic of smart glasses. Based on the internal understanding, Apple is thinking about smart glasses that would somewhat target the consumer segment that Meta’s Orion augmented reality glasses intend to.
The Orion glasses for now are a prototype themselves. It wouldn’t be the best choice to compare or base the two non-existent devices on the same footing. But the basic idea is that Apple could have a pair of smart glasses that look like regular glasses and are a combination of slick design and useful features that would allow a connected iPhone to do most of the computing.
At the time of writing, it is not known whether Apple has started building such a product. Still, we learn that feasibility studies are happening within the company to deliver eyewear that addresses the issues of convenience, weight, and battery life. Irrespective of what direction Apple intends to take with the idea of smart glasses, it’ll almost take a few years to reach the market. If you’re in a hurry, get your hands on the Meta options!
