Apple prioritises AI smart glasses over Vision Pro overhaul
Headsets vs glasses: why Apple is chasing everyday AR, not just premium mixed reality.
Apple has paused a lighter Vision Pro to prioritise AI smart glasses. It’s a market-led choice for near-term scale, not a eulogy for VR.
What changed
Bloomberg’s Oct 1 report says Apple paused a cheaper Vision Pro variant and reassigned teams to smart glasses. Reuters, The Verge, and MacRumors corroborate the shift and note two tracks: a phone-paired non-display model targeted around 2027 and a display version on an accelerated timeline. This is a reprioritisation, not a cancellation. Link here.
Having some fun generating AI versions of Apple glasses!
Why this is a smart move
IDC expects combined AR/VR headsets and display-less smart glasses to grow strongly in 2025. Everyday glasses lower friction, expand addressable audiences, and suit assistant-style tasks. That makes them a pragmatic bridge to richer overlays later.Link here.
Visualisation of the Apple AI Smart Glasses
VR is alive and important
Premium headsets still deliver unmatched immersion for training, events, and cinematic 360 video. The strategy is dual-track: capture daily attention with lightweight glasses while reserving VR for hero experiences where full immersion pays back.
The likely path of evolution
Non-display AI glasses today. Display-capable glasses next. Then augmented overlays approaching mixed reality – while keeping wearability and function at the forefront. Plan content and measurement so assets upgrade gracefully as hardware improves.
Comments