Apple is reportedly setting its sights on the burgeoning smart glasses market, with ambitious plans to introduce innovative eyewear by 2027 that aims to appeal to a broader consumer base than its current Vision Pro headset. This strategic move is outlined in a recent Bloomberg report, highlighting Apple’s intention to leverage its substantial investment in visual intelligence technology—funded by its billion-dollar R&D efforts—to develop products that could compete head-to-head with Meta’s popular Ray-Ban smart glasses.
The report also unveils Apple’s exploratory work on integrating outward-facing cameras into its AirPods, suggesting a bold venture into enhancing these devices with visual intelligence capabilities. This pursuit underscores Apple’s broader strategy to integrate cutting-edge technology into its consumer electronics lineup.
These developments emerge as Apple grapples with the Vision Pro headset’s limited market penetration owing to its steep $3,500 price tag. This niche status starkly contrasts with Meta’s augmented reality (AR) spectacles, which have received favorable reviews and offer a wallet-friendlier base price of $299. In response, Apple is reportedly devising a more economical alternative to the Vision Pro. The proposed lower-end model would feature a less advanced chip and scaled-back capabilities, potentially halving the price to attract a wider audience.
In recent years, Apple has been trailing industry trends, particularly in mixed-reality and AI advancements, rather than leading the charge with groundbreaking technologies. This could afford Meta a head start in cementing its dominance in the smart glasses arena, as it continues to advance both its hardware and the supporting service ecosystem.
In addition to these grand plans, Apple is gearing up for the imminent release of Vision Intelligence AI features for its iPhone lineup, expected later this October. This initiative underscores Apple’s competitive response to other smartphone brands that have already integrated similar AI-enhanced capabilities, illustrating its commitment to closing the feature gap and maintaining its competitive edge in the tech landscape.