The lack of traction from the Apple Vision Pro might have discouraged the California-based giant when it comes to expanding its product portfolio in the augmented and mixed-reality space, but that has not stopped Apple from pursuing development of a pair of AR glasses whose release timeline is still years away. According to the latest report, the device continues to face its fair share of hurdles, but the company keeps chugging along, and it could introduce a new visionOS version that is tailor-made for these glasses.
Down the road, Apple could launch a pair of AR glasses that remain tethered to the iPhone before introducing a standalone product
As reported by Mark Gurman in the latest edition of his ‘Power On’ newsletter, work on the smart glasses continues at a secret facility located in Santa Clara. These offices are working to bring various technologies together, including displays, so when combined together, they can create a pair of smart glasses that can be considered a worthy spiritual successor to the Apple Vision Pro. However, work is progressing slower than usual because the aforementioned location has fewer staff present due to the layoffs that happened last year.
The lack of personnel working on the AR glasses could also indicate that Apple might not be too overly ambitious with its launch, and since a commercial unit is still years away from launching, the Cupertino firm does not need to allocate additional staff right away. Apple is also said to be conducting studies determining which features will appeal to the masses, including developing a custom version of visionOS.
However, the report does not mention if the device will be a standalone product because it is possible that Apple had something else in the pipeline before the arrival of these AR glasses. Gurman previously mentioned that a pair of smart spectacles were seriously being considered, and they would be tethered to an iPhone to remove some of the computing overhead. Currently, the biggest challenge for AR glasses is developing a chip that delivers the same performance as a current-generation iPhone but consumes one-tenth of the power.
Since there will be limited space to cram in batteries for the AR glasses, the other components need to be as efficient as possible for the device to last as long as possible. Since the technology has not matured to that stage, it is no wonder that these smart spectacles are still years away, and the earliest we could see them is in 2027. Then again, we will not hold our breath because Apple is expected to face a truckload of obstacles, but once we hear some positive development, we will update our readers, so stay tuned.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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