Apple hasn’t given up on trying to make smart glasses, but it’s unlikely to make a breakthrough product

According to Bloomberg, Apple managers and developers are “still discussing” the possibility of creating smart glasses similar to Meta✴’s Ray-Ban glasses, which continue to gain popularity. Apple initially wanted to create a similar device in the form of regular glasses with some augmented reality capabilities, but canceled the project earlier this year due to the “inferiority” of such a product. At the same time, the “full-fledged” AR/VR headset Vision Pro did not gain popularity.

Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman believes that the future product currently being discussed at Apple will not be a full-fledged augmented reality device like the Apple Vision Pro, but it will include AI, microphones, and cameras to create a “pretty good user experience.”

«If Apple can apply its design skills, offer AirPods-level sound quality, and tightly integrate the glasses with the iPhone, I think the company could have a real hit, Gurman said. “It’s surprising that Apple hasn’t done this yet.”

Ray-Ban Smart Glasses. Image Source: Meta✴

Apple’s previous attempt at smart glasses was abandoned earlier this year. Plans to integrate with the ‌iPhone‌ were abandoned because the ‌iPhone‌ did not have the power or battery life to support smart glasses. Using a Mac for this purpose was deemed unviable by Apple executives.

Gurman previously reported that Apple is conducting user research and surveys to assess demand for smart glasses features and interfaces, and is also working on a specialized version of visionOS. These studies, codenamed Atlas, are being conducted by Apple’s product quality team.

This research by Apple seems to be a stepping stone to the development of real augmented reality glasses, also known as Apple Glass. Rumors of work on them have been circulating for almost a decade, but so far the company has only managed to create the Vision Pro headset – an advanced, but bulky and expensive device that will never become widespread.

Image Source: Apple