Apple pauses Vision Pro development and shifts focus to AI smart glasses, challenging Meta

Media reports indicate that Apple has suspended its planned redesign of the Vision Pro headset and is instead redirecting resources to a more urgent task: developing smart glasses to compete with Meta Platforms Inc.

Apple was originally preparing a cheaper and lighter version of the headset, internally codenamed N100, expected to launch in 2027. However, sources revealed to the media that Apple announced internally last week that it would reassign personnel from the Vision Pro project to accelerate the development of smart glasses.

Currently, smart glasses have become a new battleground for tech companies, all racing to develop AI-centric new devices. Media reports suggest that such products may eventually replace smartphones as essential tech devices, and Apple does not want to fall behind.

According to sources speaking to the media, Apple is currently developing at least two different types of smart glasses. The first model, codenamed N50, will pair with the iPhone and will not have a screen function. Apple hopes to publicly unveil this glasses as early as next year, with a formal launch in 2027.

The second model will feature a screen and is expected to challenge the newly launched Meta Ray-Ban Display. Apple originally planned to release this glasses in 2028, but is now also accelerating its development progress.

Smart Glasses Field Still Lags Behind Meta

Even with the adjustment of research and development priorities, Apple still lags far behind Meta in the smart glasses field. Meta launched its first smart glasses, Ray-Ban Stories, back in 2021, and released an updated version, Ray-Ban Meta, in 2023, which unexpectedly became a hit.

Last month, Meta further upgraded its non-screen glasses, enhancing camera performance, extending battery life, and introducing a new design more suitable for sports enthusiasts. For Meta, which has previously struggled with hardware performance, smart glasses have become a new foothold in the device market.

Apple's smart glasses will heavily rely on voice interaction and artificial intelligence, areas that have not traditionally been Apple's strengths. The rollout of Apple's Apple Intelligence platform has lagged, and upgrades to the Siri voice assistant have also been repeatedly delayed.

However, Apple is attempting to catch up. The company is betting on a revamped version of Siri, expected to launch as early as March next year, which will support a range of new devices, including smart glasses, smart speakers, screens, and cameras.

Other tech giants are also investing in the development of next-generation devices. Amazon and Google are racing to launch AI hardware products, and OpenAI has enlisted former Apple design master Jony Ive to create a new generation of device series.

Shift to Glasses Due to Underperformance of Vision Pro

According to media reports, Apple's smart glasses will come in various styles and will be equipped with a new chip. The devices will feature speakers for music playback, cameras for capturing images, and will be able to connect to smartphones via voice control. Apple is also researching health tracking features for the glasses.

Apple's shift in focus to smart glasses is also due to the underperformance of the Vision Pro at its launch. This device, priced at $3,499, combines virtual and augmented reality technologies but has been criticized for being too heavy and expensive, making it difficult to penetrate the mainstream market, and lacking sufficient video content and applications Apple's executives privately admit that this product has flaws and believe it is over-designed.

Apple originally planned to follow up the launch of Vision Pro with a similar but simplified version shortly after. However, this plan was canceled, and the company shifted its focus to developing a completely new design that is lighter. However, this redesign has also been put on hold.

Earlier this year, Apple also canceled another wired glasses project called N107, which was intended to serve as an external digital screen for devices like the Mac, and media had reported on this at the time.

Not Completely Abandoning Vision Pro

Despite this, Apple still plans to make minor updates to the existing Vision Pro, including upgrading the chip, with the earliest launch expected by the end of this year. This device has also appeared in the testing records of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), indicating that the launch timeline is not far off.

As early as 2016, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that smart glasses would be a better choice compared to closed head-mounted devices. This was around the time when Vision Pro began development. Cook publicly stated at that time:

"Very few people would find it acceptable to be enclosed in something because we are social animals by nature."

However, the technology for smart glasses was not mature at that time, and Vision Pro was merely a stopgap. Like other mixed reality devices, Vision Pro uses cameras to allow users to see their surrounding environment.

Apple's efforts to market Vision Pro to consumers have been ineffective, and the company is now trying to shift its product marketing direction towards enterprise customers. This is a strategy that Microsoft and Google have also adopted, but with limited success.

Apple has not completely abandoned the idea of remaking Vision Pro, and it may still launch a lighter and cheaper version in the future. The company has invested billions of dollars and a decade of time into the original Vision Pro.

Meta has also encountered setbacks in selling mixed reality head-mounted devices, even with prices far below Vision Pro, sales performance has still been unsatisfactory. Later, Meta found new directions in smart glasses and AI products, and even decided not to launch new mixed reality head-mounted devices this year.

Meta's new smart glasses with screens are currently well-received, and the company plans to launch the next generation version in 2027, which will be equipped with dual screens, allowing users to see information on both lenses simultaneously.

Both Apple and Meta are continuing to develop true AR glasses, which can integrate digital content with the real world using more advanced technology, far surpassing the current heads-up display technology