Apple shelves cheaper Vision Pro to focus on smart glasses, report says

We all know the problem with the Apple Vision Pro: It's too expensive. Now, Apple is deprioritizing a more affordable follow-up to the futuristic VR headset to focus on Meta Ray-Ban-style smart glasses, a new report says.

According to Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman, Apple has apparently moved employees off its Vision Pro redo in order to focus its teams on producing a competitor to Meta's smart glasses.

The cheaper Vision Pro was penciled in for a 2027 launch, and is not to be confused with the Apple Vision Pro 2, which is a separate, slightly upgraded version of the existing Vision Pro headset. The Vision Pro 2 is still on track for launch next year, we think.

However, Apple had also reportedly been working on the more affordable and lightweight version of the Apple Vision Pro after sales of its $3,499 AR/VR headset plummeted following its launch early last year.

While a major change to the company's Vision Pro plans shouldn't be too shocking, Apple's shift to focus on smart glasses is certainly a noteworthy development. Currently, Samsung, Google, Meta, Amazon, and a host of ambitious startups are racing to release new smart glasses, and we've known for awhile now that Apple is working on its own smart glasses, too.

Gurman reports that Apple has two separate smart glasses products in the works, one with a display integrated in the device and another without a display that pairs with a user's iPhone.

Apple is aiming to launch its display-less smart glasses model, internally known as N50, as soon as next year, Gurman predicts. This model was originally slated for a 2027 release before Apple's shift. Apple was looking at 2028 release for the smart glass model with a display but that targeted release period may move up too, Gurman's reprort says.

Apple's smart glasses would heavily feature AI and voice interaction. The company is currently rebuilding Siri to be more of an AI-powered voice assistant in-line with similar products like ChatGPT from OpenAI. Apple's smart glasses will also come with various styling options and include built-in speakers and cameras. The device will also run off of a brand new chip from Apple. The company is expected to continue to integrate its health-tracking technologies within the smart glasses too.

Meta has found some success with its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, so Apple is playing catchup with some of its rivals. However, Apple has been in this position before with countless other products. Just look at the iPhone, which debuted in 2007, long after other mobile phone companies had become giants in the space.