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Apple’s long-rumored smart glasses, known as "Apple Glass," are currently in development and could become a central part of Apple’s wearable technology ecosystem in the future, according to a report by analyst Mark Gurman from Bloomberg.
However, Gurman states that Apple is facing significant challenges in this area, with the ultimate goal being to create smart glasses that can compete with Meta’s "Orion" glasses, which were revealed last year. Gurman also notes that Apple’s competitors are grappling with similar obstacles, making the development of such glasses particularly complex.
As a reminder, Apple’s Vision Pro headset, launched at the beginning of 2024, marked the company’s first attempt to enter the augmented reality (AR) market. However, the product quickly became a commercial failure. The reasons for its failure include its heavy weight, cumbersome usability, a lack of suitable applications, an extraordinarily high price and, more broadly, a lack of understanding by the general public regarding the device’s purpose.
Despite the failure, Gurman claims that the Vision Pro was merely the beginning of Apple’s journey into augmented and extended reality (XR) technologies and is far from being the last product the company plans to release in the field. According to him, Apple’s ultimate goal is to develop smart glasses that integrate seamlessly into everyday life, similar to the highly successful smart glasses by Meta and Ray-Ban.
According to the report, while the launch of Apple’s smart glasses is still years away, the company is actively working on developing the necessary technologies and conducting extensive research to assess consumer interest in the product. Simultaneously, Apple has developed a unique version of its visionOS operating system, originally created for the Vision Pro, specifically for these glasses.
In fact, Apple has been conducting internal tests on various wearable technologies for years. For example, in 2017, it was reported that an employee required medical treatment after being exposed to laser flashes during the testing of a prototype.
Apple's entry into the AR field originally stemmed from another company project that never materialized: its autonomous car. According to plans, the car was supposed to include a smart display on its windshield, but due to the high costs associated with the project it was ultimately shelved, forcing Apple to shift its focus.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly expressed his opinion on the subject. According to him, layering information over existing reality – rather than isolating users in a separate environment, as with virtual reality (VR) – is the way forward for technology.
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Reports indicate that Apple is developing its future AR and wearable technology products at a secret facility in Santa Clara, not far from its headquarters in Cupertino, a town located inside the greater San Jose area. However, insiders told Bloomberg that, following a wave of layoffs at the company in 2024, the facility is now operating with far fewer staff, which may explain the slow pace and challenges Apple is experiencing in this field.
Meanwhile, as Apple works on its next product – which could either revolutionize the market or meet the same fate as its predecessor – more competitors are entering the space, while existing players continue to improve their offerings. Meta, for example, has long been a leader in the field with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, the highly anticipated "Orion" project, and even its successful Quest headsets.
Samsung and Google are also in the game. Just last week, Samsung unveiled its mixed reality glasses, "Moohan," developed in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm, and expected to hit the market by late 2025.
This competition gives Apple’s rivals an advantage, as they can release products more quickly and gather direct feedback from consumers. The real test for Apple will come when it finally launches its smart glasses, which are intended to eventually replace the iPhone. The problem? By then, its competitors may have already released several generations of products, refined through consumer feedback and improvements.