Apple Inc. is reportedly conducting internal research to explore entry into the smart glasses market, closely following in the footsteps of Meta Platforms Inc. Insiders indicate that the project, codenamed "Atlas," commenced last week, aiming to gather feedback from Apple employees on smart glasses technology. The company is expected to expand its research efforts with focus groups in the near future. Given the confidential nature of this endeavor, sources have requested anonymity. Spearheading this initiative is Apple's Product Systems Quality team, which operates under the hardware engineering division.
In a communication sent to a select group at Apple's Cupertino headquarters, the team highlighted the significance of developing universally appealing products. "Testing and creating products that everyone can enjoy is crucial to our work here," stated the email, inviting employees to participate in upcoming user research on current smart glasses in the market.
When contemplating entry into a new product category, Apple typically convenes secretive focus groups to gain insights into user perceptions of existing devices. This approach predominantly involves employees to minimize the disclosure of potential plans to the public. An Apple representative declined to offer any comments on this subject.
The ongoing research suggests that Apple is making strides in the development of its own smart glasses. Previous reports have indicated that the iPhone maker has been contemplating breaking into this sphere, which could potentially offer competition to Meta’s Ray-Ban technology. However, an actual product launch may still be several years down the line.