Rumors have been piling up around Apple’s AR smart glasses for a long time. However, while the Apple Vision Pro has introduced some similar features to what the supposed Apple Glass could offer, it comes in a much more substantial form factor. According to reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s journey to perfecting AR glasses is still in its early stages, with a 3-5 year time frame before we see a viable product.
A long wait
In his Sunday letter “ Power On », our friend Gurman explains:
I’m told Apple continues to work on augmented reality smart glasses, but nothing is planned in the near future.
But why such a delay? The challenges still seem to be numerous: miniaturizing computer components, achieving a comfortable design, ensuring long battery life and providing high-resolution screens without sacrificing display quality. Although Apple already seems capable of meeting these requirements, the main sticking point remains cost. The Vision Pro headset is way too expensive, so imagine Apple Glass.
Competitors like Meta and Snapchat have introduced their own advanced AR glasses, but these are far from ready for the consumer market. Meta’s Orion glasses are essentially prototype demos, and Snapchat’s are for developers only. Neither has revealed a price, likely due to the exorbitant cost. Much more advanced than the current Spectacles or Meta’s Ray-Bans, Snapchat’s future autonomous glasses have already been tested. If the first users were amazed, there is still work to be done, particularly in terms of field of vision and size, aspects that Apple would surely seek to refine before their launch.
While it is understandable that Apple is not rushing to market with these AR glasses, it won’t take too long to find a place. And, as is often the case, Apple could give interest to this sector with a new approach.
