Apple is reportedly ramping up efforts to develop lightweight augmented reality (AR) glasses, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The company appears to be refocusing its long-term strategy away from the ultra-premium Vision Pro headset and toward a more accessible wearable device, in a bid to challenge Meta’s growing dominance in the XR and smart glasses segment.

Apple’s long-term vision goes beyond Vision Pro

The report claims that Apple CEO Tim Cook has made the development of AR glasses his top product priority. A source close to the matter told Bloomberg: “Tim cares about nothing else. It’s the only thing he’s really spending his time on from a product development standpoint.”

Unlike the Vision Pro, which launched at $3,499 and targets a niche audience, Apple’s AR glasses are expected to be more accessible in both form and function. The device is still in early development stages, with significant hurdles including miniaturization, battery efficiency, and keeping the device consumer-friendly in terms of pricing.

When will it launch?

There’s no confirmed timeline for Apple’s AR glasses just yet, but reports suggest the product could still be several years away. Apple is believed to be targeting a release ahead of Meta’s Orion AR glasses, which currently cost around $10,000 per prototype and are expected to be commercialized before 2030.

Meanwhile, Apple may release smart glasses-like devices with AI-enabled features, possibly integrated into future Apple Watch or AirPods models. These would be more akin to Meta’s Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses—successful products that offer photography, music, and voice assistant support but lack true AR capabilities.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

(source)

The post Apple shifts focus to AR glasses in race to outpace Meta appeared first on Gizmochina.