Apple's Smart Glasses Said to Be Available a Year After Launch, Lighter Vision Pro on Hold

Apple's smart glasses have been making headlines for a while, with the company reportedly aiming to take on Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses. Now, Bloomberg reports that Apple is accelerating development on its smart glasses while pausing its work on a lighter version of the Apple Vision Pro headset. The report also hints at a shift in the company's launch strategy for the smart glasses, indicating there might be a longer gap between the product announcement and its availability in select markets.

Apple Is Speeding Up Work on Its First Smart Glasses

As per a new report by Bloomberg, there will be a longer gap between the announcement and actual availability of Apple Glasses. The company is reportedly developing two types of smart glasses. The first model, internally codenamed N50, is said to pair with an iPhone and lack its own display. The report, citing unnamed sources, says that "Apple aims to unveil this model (N50) as soon as next year, ahead of a release in 2027".

This would mark a shift from Apple's usual launch strategy where new products are available for purchase shortly after the formal launch. The company might choose this new method, possibly to build momentum or stay competitive in the growing AR wearables space.

Meanwhile, Apple seems to have paused development of the lighter and affordable version of the Apple Vision Pro, internally known as the N100, to speed up the development of the smart glasses. The new version of Vision Pro, potentially named Vision Air, was originally slated for a 2027 release.

Apple shifted key team members from the N100 project to fast-track development of the smart glasses, according to Bloomberg. The Apple Glasses are expected to directly compete with Meta's offerings.

The first pair of smart glasses from Apple is expected to come with focus on voice interaction and artificial intelligence. A rebuilt Siri, which is likely to be launched in March, could help to power the glasses, speakers, displays, and cameras.

The Apple Glasses are expected to launch in multiple styles and run on a new chipset designed by Apple. They might be equipped with speakers for audio playback, cameras for media recording, and voice-control features that will work with a connected phone. They are likely to feature health-tracking capabilities.