According to insiders, Apple is conducting internal research on current products in the smart glasses market as it explores entering this space, potentially following in Meta's footsteps in a growing product category. Apple has initiated development work on its own smart glasses under a project code-named "Atlas," which began last week. Although a market-ready product could still be years away, analysts predict that Apple’s smart glasses may pose a challenge to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.

The research is led by Apple’s Product System Quality team, part of the hardware engineering division. In an email to Apple headquarters staff, the team wrote:

“Testing and developing products that people love is an essential part of working at Apple, which is why we’re inviting participants to join a study on user experiences with existing smart glasses on the market.”

Recently, The Information reported, citing supply chain sources, that Apple may halt assembly of the Apple Vision Pro as early as November, with the device potentially going out of production. This would mark a 16-month span from the product’s June 2023 launch to the news of a potential discontinuation.

Apple’s Vision Products Group has been reassessing its strategy amid pressure from Meta. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously noted this, and he now reports that Apple is “seriously considering” a glasses-style device that works in tandem with the iPhone. He further added, “I keep hearing Apple is considering a device that offloads computing to the iPhone, effectively serving as an accessory for media consumption. This would resemble the glasses products offered by companies like Xreal. For Apple, this approach would reinforce the iPhone’s central position in its ecosystem and provide an option that could appeal more broadly than the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro.”

Meta has had success with its simpler approach: collaborating with Luxottica Group SpA, it launched a $299 pair of glasses allowing users to record video, take calls, and interact with a voice assistant. However, these aren’t true AR glasses, as they don’t display information overlaid on the lenses.

Apple may be looking to create a similar product. Potential approaches include developing smart glasses akin to AirPods, but with longer battery life, more sensors, and improved audio capabilities. Apple also plans to enhance the Vision Pro headset and is currently working on a lower-end version with more affordable components to expand its appeal.

Meanwhile, Apple’s competitors continue advancing in the AR space. In recent months, Meta and Snap Inc. have both showcased new AR glasses that can overlay digital layers, such as games, messages, and apps, onto the real world.

Gurman further revealed that Apple’s ultimate aim remains to create an all-in-one AR glasses device with advanced lenses, a battery system, onboard computing, cameras, and eye-tracking. However, due to significant technical challenges, Apple previously paused this product’s development. Now, Gurman reports that Apple is seriously considering a device that would offload processing to the iPhone and function as a media accessory. Similar to products by Xreal, this would strengthen the iPhone’s role as the center of Apple’s ecosystem while offering a more accessible alternative to the high-priced Apple Vision Pro.

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