Apple may be changing course on spatial computing. The company is reportedly reallocating staff from the next Vision Pro to accelerate a pair of smart glasses projects, including an entry model that pairs with iPhone and a more advanced AR version.
As reported by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, the pivot suggests Apple is chasing an everyday, wear-all-day product similar to Meta’s Ray-Bans glasses.
Roadmap shift
According to Gurman, Apple is working on two sets of smart glasses: a simpler “N50” model that relies on iPhone connectivity, and a second model with an integrated AR display. The N50 will apparently be revealed next year for launch in 2027, while the other pair is set for release in 2028. However, these timelines could be accelerated if Apple is moving staff from Vision Pro to smart glasses.
The glasses will apparently come in a variety of styles, be powered by a new chip, and have speakers and cameras to capture audio, images, and video.
We know that Apple is already behind on smart glasses development in comparison with Meta and Google, but this shift doesn’t mean the company’s abandoning Vision Pro all together. We know a refreshed Vision Pro with a faster chip is set to launch soon, plus recent coverage of visionOS updates and content additions shows the headset is still evolving. But right now, Apple seems intent on catching up with the competition in the smart glasses market – so that’ll likely be its focus for now.
Opinion
We all know Apple doesn’t have the best history with entering new markets, but if it can pull it off, smart glasses might be a really smart choice over the Vision Pro – a bulkier, more expensive product, which has less day-to-day functional use.
