Apple Drops Vision Pro Update Plans, Pushes Smart Glasses To Compete With Meta
Apple’s cheaper Vision Pro model has been shelved as the company accelerates smart glasses development to rival Meta’s AI-powered wearables.
Apple has stopped a planned update to its Vision Pro headset to focus more on smart glasses, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday. The company had been preparing a cheaper and lighter version of the Vision Pro, code-named N100, for release in 2027. But last week, staff were told that many employees from that project are being moved to speed up the work on smart glasses.
The $3,499 Vision Pro launched in February 2024 but has faced slow sales, high costs, and tough competition from Meta’s cheaper headsets and other rivals.
Apple’s Smart Glasses Plans
According to Bloomberg, Apple is building at least two types of smart glasses. The first, called N50, will connect to an iPhone and will not have its own display.
Apple hopes to show this model as early as next year and release it in 2027. The second version, expected in 2028, will include a built-in display.
Apple is now pushing harder to bring this display version to market faster so it can compete directly with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Apple’s glasses are expected to depend on voice interaction and artificial intelligence, signalling the company’s serious shift toward AI after falling behind rivals like Google.
Meta’s Progress In Smart Glasses
Meta is already ahead in this area. In September, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed $800 smart glasses with a built-in display and a new wristband controller at the company’s Connect event.
Meta also launched Oakley-branded Vanguard glasses, designed for athletes. These steps show Meta is aiming to widen its lead in wearable technology and build a larger consumer base before Apple catches up.
Apple, however, has stayed quiet on its smart glasses timeline. At its annual product launch last month, the company introduced new iPhones, including a slimmer iPhone Air, but offered little detail on how it will use AI in future products.
Many experts believe Apple’s success will depend on how fast it integrates powerful AI tools into devices people actually use every day.
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