Apple's AR Smart Glasses Could Launch In 2026: What We Can Expect
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Apple is obsessed about competing with Meta in the smart glasses arena and its first product could roll out by next year.
Apple's big AR push could now go into 2026 as new reports claim the company will bring its AR-powered smart glasses later next year. Apple is likely to keep things simple with these smart glasses and offer features that we have seen with the Meta Ray Ban smart glasses in the market.
The report from Bloomberg, quoting an Apple employee, says the company is not likely to include this product in the Apple Vision lineup and have a new series for this category with toned-down AR features sprinkled with AI. The Apple AR smart glasses could be unveiled some time in late 2026 with the product available in the market by early 2027.
Just like the Ray Ban glasses, Apple could adopt the same set of features to keep the price competitive. The device should have a camera and a mic so that you can record the surroundings and even enable music playback from the built-in speaker. However, Apple is tipped to add its own premium signature design and materials which will make it lightweight and easy to wear.
The smart glasses are definitely coming into their own with the advent of AI and it seems Apple wants a big piece of this segment. Apple's CEO, Tim Cook is apparently obsessed with the product and more than AI, he is focused on making this device become a success.
Apple clearly sees Meta as its closest rival in this space even though Google and Samsung have their own Android XR plans coming through later this year. But Cook is said to be making his mission to beat Meta with its own AR smart glasses. 'It's the only thing he's really spending his time on from a product development standpoint," an earlier Bloomberg report highlighted his interest.
Google Glasses can rise again thanks to GenAI and the sudden popularity of this product.
The Meta smart glasses come for around $250 (Rs 21,250 approx) which makes it far more accessible and appealing than the $3,299 priced Vision Pro headset. We are hoping that the company finds the right balance between its design, hardware and performance to deliver a product that not only excites the consumers but gives Apple some leverage in the market after its recent AI struggles.
First Published:
May 26, 2025, 10:25 IST
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