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Reports indicate that Apple has decided to cancel its augmented reality glasses project, even as Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, continues to make strides in the market. This move comes as Meta's "Ray-Ban" smart glasses have seen significant success, surpassing one million units sold.
According to Bloomberg, Apple's augmented reality glasses project, codenamed N107, was intended to resemble traditional eyewear, featuring built-in displays in the lenses for connectivity with Mac devices. The concept aimed to deliver a virtual viewing experience similar to the Vision Pro, but with a simpler design and more affordable price point.
The glasses were also planned to include a dimming feature, similar to the EyeSight technology in the Vision Pro, alerting others to the user's status—whether they were busy or available. However, the project did not include a camera or the mixed-reality features present in the Vision Pro.
Bloomberg further noted that Apple faced significant challenges in developing glasses that balanced high performance with an affordable cost. The original plan was for the glasses to connect to iPhones, but high power consumption revealed that the phones were not capable of running them efficiently. In an attempt to resolve this, Apple explored linking the glasses to Macs instead, but internal tests showed little success, ultimately leading to the cancellation of the project.
This cancellation raises questions about the future of Apple's augmented reality and extended reality initiatives, especially after reports emerged that the company also scrapped another eyewear project in 2023. Additionally, there are concerns that the development of a second-generation Vision Pro is facing difficulties, as the company shifts focus to creating a more affordable version of the current model, which has struggled to gain widespread adoption.
Meanwhile, competitors continue to expand their presence in the market. At CES 2025, a variety of smart glasses were showcased, and Google officially entered the race with its Android XR platform. Samsung also unveiled its "Moohan Project" to develop augmented reality glasses.
Meta, on the other hand, revealed its "Orion" smart glasses last year, featuring advanced Micro LED displays and a neural control wristband. Mark Zuckerberg continues to promote smart glasses as a future platform for artificial intelligence. Meta is also planning to release a pair of smart glasses in collaboration with Oakley, as well as an upgraded version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses with a built-in display later this year.