Unlike the equally long-rumored iPhone Flip, it's been a minute since we heard anything about Apple's version of AR smart glasses.
But after Meta revealed its Project Orion AR glasses last month, there's been a lot of interest in smart specs. A new rumor suggests that the Apple Glasses might arrive in 2026 with microLED technology. Previous rumors claimed Apple was "at least four years away" from putting any kind of smart glasses on the market.
The leak comes from leaker Jukanlosreveon X (spotted by Wccftech). They claim that Apple "has not given up on micro LED" tech and will feature it in the glasses, with mass production beginning in 2026.
Apple has not given up on Micro LED technology.1. They are preparing Micro LED for AR glasses, with mass production expected in 2026.2. The plan to include Micro LED in the Apple Watch Ultra is also still in place, with a target launch in 2026.October 5, 2024
That said, a year is a big window and that doesn't mean a pair of smart glasses produced in 2026 will launch that year. The actual release could slip into 2027 or even beyond.
Apple has been pushing for smaller chips and thinner devices, so any glasses with a chipset that could power a set of AR glasses seems possible for the company, though it would have to consume far less power than the chips Apple has currently available.
The microLED rumor is also surprising, as it's expensive to manufacture and hard to make in smaller sizes. It would be a coup if Apple is truly solved that issue for both a potential watch and Apple Glasses.
When Apple released the Vision Pro earlier this year, it was rumored that the overly-expensive headset had replaced Apple's ambitions for a set of smart glasses. Perhaps Meta's pushing mixed reality with the unreleased Orion glasses or their success with the updated Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses has changed some minds in Cupertino.
We imagine that with smart glasses, Apple would pursue a device that retails for a more affordable price than the current $3,500 of the Vision Pro headset.
Jukanlosreve also claimed that Apple is working on a micro LED display for the Apple Watch Ultra, which will also supposedly launch in 2026.
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