Apple's Bold Vision: Smart Glasses Set to Challenge Google and Meta

Apple is actively developing smart glasses as part of its efforts to enter the AI device market, aiming for a launch around 2026 or 2027. The tech giant is reportedly designing custom chips specifically for these glasses, targeting a direct competition with Google's XR glasses and Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses. While Apple's smart glasses may not offer full augmented reality capabilities akin to Vision Pro, they are expected to integrate AI functionalities, including a camera, microphone, and live translation features.

The custom chips underpinning Apple's smart glasses are based on the system chip used in Apple Watch rather than iPhone. This choice stems from the lower power consumption provided by Apple Watch chips, which is crucial for maintaining a compact form factor while ensuring adequate battery life. Apple has optimized these chips for enhanced energy efficiency, promising longevity in usage without compromising on the sleekness of the design.

Apple's journey in smart glasses development has seen several hurdles. Initial plans to create genuine AR glasses, which could pair with Mac computers, were shelved due to power consumption issues. Engineers acknowledged that delivering iPhone-like performance with a fractional energy consumption was not feasible without causing overheating. Adding a battery to the glasses was deemed impractical due to weight concerns, impacting comfort.

Even amidst setbacks, Apple CEO Tim Cook remains dedicated to the project, with a personal involvement in its development. Cook has prioritized launching true AR glasses ahead of Meta despite technological hurdles. Full-scale AR glasses would necessitate advancements in high-resolution displays and high-performance chips, alongside miniature batteries capable of supporting day-long usage. Consequently, Apple is expediting the production of smart glasses modeled after Ray-Ban while persisting in the challenging task of creating robust AR glasses.

Currently, Apple is conducting user research dubbed "Atlas" to evaluate the appeal of various functionalities for the glasses. This initiative, driven by Apple's hardware engineering division, is complemented by the development of visionOS—a potential operating system for the glasses. Research and development activities are located near Apple's Cupertino headquarters, including a manufacturing facility dedicated to testing future display technologies.

If Apple succeeds in leveraging its design strengths to provide superior audio quality akin to AirPods and seamlessly integrate the glasses with iPhone, the smart glasses could become a significant hit. While Apple is firmly advancing its project challenging Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, the eventual rollout of fully-fledged AR glasses remains years away.