Apple still looks to be in the augmented reality race, as a new report claims Cupertino is continuing to develop its long-rumored Apple Glasses — and a new version of visionOS may be coming with it.
As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (via Wccftech), Apple's AR glasses appear to still be in the works, albeit at a slow pace. Previous leaks indicate the upcoming smart glasses won't arrive until 2027, and this looks to be on track with the report stating they're still a few years away.
However, Apple is reportedly figuring out the best features to include in its AR glasses, with a custom version of visionOS tipped to be in development. We've seen this operating system used in the Apple Vision Pro headset, but considering the power of this headset, a new, lighter version of visonOS for AR glasses makes sense.
It isn't certain if these Apple AR glasses will be a stand-alone product or more of an accessory to an iPhone, similar to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Previous rumors indicate Apple Glasses would rely on an iPhone for processing power, but custom visionOS could mean the AR glasses may work independently.
As Gurman reported, the Apple AR glasses aim to bring information from a phone directly to your eyes, displaying texts, emails, maps and games to the user. Little is known about how a custom visionOS would work with AR glasses, but I imagine it would be similar to an iPhone-type interface with a splash of visionOS.
Of course, it isn't certain when we'll see a version of Apple Glasses or other AR products. Apple's roadmap is always changing, with the recent rumored MacBook Air OLED now reportedly being delayed until 2029. That said, there have been rumors of a cheaper version of the Vision Pro coming in 2025, which could be related to Apple's push for AR products. For now, we're still a few years away from seeing Apple Glasses, or a version of an AR-related product.
Apple will have stiff AR competition
While sales and popularity for its Apple Vision Pro headset didn't work out as expected, with its $3,500 asking price turning consumers off, the company still appears to be pushing to be a big player in the AR space. However, it will see a lot of competition.
Recently, we've heard of Meta making its first "real" AR glasses that are tipped to launch in 2027, along with higher-end Ray-Ban Meta-like AR glasses this year. We've already got a glimpse of how they would work with our Meta Orion AR glasses hands-on, and we were impressed by their design and function.
We'll also be seeing Andriod XR devices down the pipeline this year, including a new Samsung Project Moohan XR headset. This, along with the Xreal One Pro AR glasses that offer a 171-inch virtual screen with 1080p resolution, means Apple will have a lot of catching up to do if we only see its rumored AR glasses by 2027.
While we wait for more updates on Apple's AR glasses, check out the best AR and AI smart glasses you can grab right now.
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