A pair of smartphone glasses was eventually going to be Apple’s goal as it attempts to explore a nascent market by encouraging customers to pick up its expensive $3,499 headset. According to a previous estimation, these spectacles could launch in 2027, but before their arrival, the company is actually working on another product that the latest report believes will carve out a path for its upcoming wearable technology. That product happens to be a new pair of AirPods that are said to feature AI capabilities and camera modules.
The biggest hurdle to transform Apple’s smart glasses from a concept to an actual product is the power consumption goal
The Apple Vision Pro is just the tip of the iceberg that makes up the Cupertino giant’s mixed-reality vision, with its end-game being the smart glasses. Unfortunately, Apple CEO Tim Cook has admitted that while the product is a key objective for the company, the technology is too elusive at this time. One of its biggest obstacles is running a chip that can deliver iPhone-level performance while consuming one-tenth of the power, which is currently impossible.
However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has implied in his ‘Power On’ newsletter that a new pair of AirPods will aid in the development of smart glasses. These wireless earbuds will reportedly feature cameras, delivering information about the outside world to the user. AI is expected to aid in this operation, with Apple Intelligence likely playing a pivotal role.
TF International Securities Ming-Chi Kuo has also admitted that AirPods with camera modules will launch, but these will enter mass production in 2026 and are predicted to deliver an enhanced spatial audio experience. Based on this timeline, Apple’s smart glasses are still years away, and several potholes could potentially derail the company’s progress. Does that mean new competitors such as Meta will obtain an upper hand?
Gurman does not believe so, as he states that Orion is just a prototype, and it could take 3-5 years before it turns into a product. Apple has never demonstrated product previews years in advance, which at least means that the company is not drawing customers into a false sense of hope about a product that has not even entered mass production. While Meta may have the upper hand in unveiling its future plans and warning its rivals, it remains to be seen who delivers a commercial product first, and that too with better utility.