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Apple shifts focus from virtual reality to artificial intelligence wearables as it races against Meta in the smart glasses market
Apple has never been shy about changing course when it senses the next big thing. According to a fresh report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech giant is hitting pause on its highly anticipated Vision Pro overhaul to redirect energy toward a more futuristic pursuit—AI-powered smart glasses.
For those following Apple’s mixed-reality journey, this might come as a surprise. The company had been developing a lighter, more affordable version of its Vision Pro headset, a product that many believed would help bring spatial computing to the mainstream. But now, much of that talent is being shifted away from fine-tuning the Vision Pro and toward building glasses that could one day replace our smartphones.
So, what’s on Apple’s drawing board? Reportedly, there are at least two pairs of glasses in the works. The first, internally nicknamed N50, sounds like a stepping stone into the AI wearables world. Instead of a flashy display, these glasses will sync with your iPhone to provide AI-powered assistance in a sleek, everyday form factor. Apple could announce them as soon as next year, with a full release targeted for 2027.
Then there’s the second, more ambitious version—the kind that might make Meta sweat. These glasses will include an actual display, putting them in direct competition with Meta’s new Ray-Ban Display glasses that turned heads last month. Apple had originally aimed for a 2028 debut, but with momentum building around smart glasses, the company is reportedly fast-tracking development.
Of course, Apple isn’t the first to the party. Meta launched its initial smart glasses back in 2021, giving it a solid head start in this space. But if history tells us anything, it’s that Apple doesn’t necessarily need to be first—just polished. The iPhone wasn’t the first smartphone, nor was the Apple Watch the first smartwatch, yet both ended up redefining their categories.
The big question now is whether Apple can deliver smart glasses that feel less like science fiction and more like something you’d actually want to wear every day. With AI increasingly woven into the fabric of our digital lives, the timing couldn’t be more interesting.
In other words, the Vision Pro may be sidelined for now, but the real Apple revolution might soon be sitting right on our noses.
