TL;DR
- Apple is considering launching a Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses rival in 2027.
- It’s also reported that it wants to launch camera-equipped AirPods.
- The company is aiming to create more products that can use the Vision Pro’s ability to understand its surroundings.
Developing the Vision Pro was an expensive endeavor for Apple, which is why the device has such a high price tag. Although the product sold better than initially expected, the iPhone maker has had an uphill battle with trying to recoup the cost of development. In an attempt to salvage the money spent on creating the headset, the Cupertino firm wants to make more products that use the Vision Pro’s technology.
According to Bloomberg, Apple’s Vision Products Group is working on “at least” four new products. One of the new products is said to be smart glasses. Another product could be AirPods built with a camera within. Both are expected to arrive in 2027.
The smart glasses, in particular, wouldn’t be AR glasses, but rather glasses with a built-in camera, speakers, and mic. These glasses are said to be similar to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
If you’re wondering why Apple is working on smart glasses and camera-equipped AirPods, the report says Apple is attempting to salvage the billions of dollars it invested into the Vision Pro. The company wants to apply the Vision Pro’s visual intelligence — technology that allows it to scan and understand its surroundings — to more products. Outside of this, it’s unclear what would make these smart glasses more appealing than Meta’s solution or regular sunglasses.
Another product the team is said to be working on is a cheaper Vision headset, which could cost about $2,000. This low-end Vision headset is expected to have an inferior chip, be made of cheaper materials, lack EyeSight, and launch early next year. A second-generation Vision Pro is also mentioned, which would launch in 2026 with a more powerful processor.
