Meta Accelerates AI Headset Development Amid Apple Competition

Ticker BuzzTuesday, Jun 3, 2025 7:18 pm ET
2min read

Meta, the leading company in the virtual reality (VR) market, has reportedly adjusted its development plans in response to Apple's aggressive stance in the AI eyewear market. The company is said to have canceled the upgrade project for its current VR products and is accelerating the development of a new "ultra-light and thin open-style headset" with a target release date of the end of next year. This strategic shift means that the next upgrade for the Quest device, currently on the market, will not occur until at least 2027. The move indicates that multiple tech giants, including

and , are intensifying their competition in the AI eyewear sector. The development of this new headset is expected to significantly impact the market dynamics, as it aims to provide a more immersive and user-friendly experience. The cancellation of the Quest device's upgrade project suggests that Meta is prioritizing innovation and market leadership over incremental improvements to existing products. This decision reflects the company's commitment to staying ahead in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. The new headset is anticipated to feature advanced AI capabilities, making it a formidable competitor in the AI eyewear market. The competition between Meta and Apple in this sector is expected to drive further innovation and development in the field of AI eyewear, benefiting consumers with more advanced and user-friendly products.

Meta's strategic shift comes as Apple CEO Tim Cook has made the development of AR glasses a top priority for the company. Cook's vision for AR glasses includes a lightweight device that users can wear all day, overlaying images and data onto the real world. However, achieving this vision requires advanced technologies such as high-performance chips, high-resolution displays, and miniature batteries that can provide hours of use. Additionally, Apple needs to create an attractive application ecosystem to support the device. The product must also be priced affordably to achieve mass-market appeal. Meta, on the other hand, has previously showcased a concept VR glasses called Orion, but the high production cost of approximately 100 million dollars per unit means that a commercial version is still years away. Apple's upcoming smart glasses are expected to be similar to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses but with superior craftsmanship. Google is also a competitor in this space, recently announcing collaborations with Xreal, Warby Parker, Samsung, and Gentle Monster to launch AI smart glasses based on the Android XR platform.

Meta's decision to accelerate the development of its ultra-light and thin open-style headset, codenamed "Puffin," is a response to the intense competition in the AI eyewear market. The headset is designed to be lightweight, weighing less than 110 grams, and will not include a controller. Instead, it will use eye-tracking and finger-pinch input methods similar to Apple's Vision Pro. The key to achieving this lightweight design is the externalization of the battery and computing hardware into a disc-shaped device that Meta hopes will eventually be small enough to fit into a user's pocket. The headset will run on the same Horizon OS system as Meta's VR devices but is expected to focus on creating virtual screens that users can customize in terms of number and size. While some devices already offer this functionality, none have achieved the level of lightweight and stylish design needed to attract mainstream users. Meta's strategic shift is likely driven by the need to develop a product that can compete with Apple's upcoming smart glasses and maintain its market leadership in the AI eyewear sector.