Apple Developing Smart Glasses and Camera-Equipped AirPods

Apple is exploring new wearable technologies, with a focus on smart glasses and cheaper versions of the Vision Pro. According to Mark Gurman, Apple is working on a more affordable Vision Pro model that could launch as early as next year. This version might be priced at around $2,000, with some features being downgraded from the original, such as replacing the M2 chip with a less powerful processor like the M1 or A18, and potentially removing the EyeSight technology, which allows users’ eyes to be visible to the outside world.

In addition to the cheaper Vision Pro, Apple is reportedly developing smart glasses that may compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses, while not offering full AR capabilities, showcase the latest innovations in generative AI and connect to a phone for operation. Apple’s version of smart glasses might be available by 2027, along with other innovative products like AirPods equipped with cameras.

These developments are part of Apple’s strategy to advance its visionOS ecosystem, leveraging its investment in visual intelligence technology. This technology allows devices to scan the environment and provide contextual data, a feature that is expected to debut on the iPhone 16 through its new Camera Control button. The integration of this technology across Apple products could offer a significant advantage over competitors such as Meta and Google, both of which are also working on visual tech innovations.

While Apple continues to innovate in the AR and AI spaces, there is still a waiting period of several years before some of these products become commercially available. By then, competitors like Meta and Google may have advanced their technologies further, but Apple’s cohesive ecosystem and software experience could be a key differentiator in the market.