Apple Reportedly Shelves Cheaper & Lighter Vision Pro for Smart Glasses to Rival Meta

Apple is rumored to be gearing up for the release of its next Vision Pro with the M5 chip, but a recent report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests that the company may have decided to put on hold plans for a more affordable and lighter follow-up headset in order to focus on launching smart glasses that will rival Meta.

The Latest Development

Prior rumors indicated that Apple was working on a follow-up to the Vision Pro aimed more towards consumers, often referred to as ‘Vision Air’ (codenamed ‘N100’). Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously reported that Vision Air was expected to be “over 40% lighter and more than 50% cheaper” than the current Vision Pro, with a weight of less than 400g and a price tag of less than $1,750.

Recent FCC filings suggest that a hardware update for the Vision Pro featuring Apple’s latest M5 chip is on the horizon, although the weight of 600g and the price of $3,500 are expected to remain unchanged.

However, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg now reports that Apple has decided to postpone the development of Vision Air, citing internal sources. Instead, the company is said to be reallocating resources to expedite the production of smart glasses that are designed to compete with Meta and its Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses.

Gurman states that Apple is working on at least two types of smart glasses: an audio-only pair codenamed ‘N50’ that will be designed to pair with iPhones and compete with Meta’s smart glasses created in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, which are priced at over $300. The N50 is expected to be previewed as early as 2026, with a release set for 2027.

The second pair will feature a display, similar to Meta Ray-Ban Display, which recently launched in the US for $800. Apple’s display smart glasses were initially planned to be released in 2028, but the company is reportedly expediting their development.

Both versions of the smart glasses are said to focus on voice interaction, AI integration, and will offer various styles along with a new custom chip to power the devices.

Personal Opinion

The shift in Apple’s development strategy may come as a surprise, as the company typically enters markets after the technology has been established. While Apple didn’t pioneer smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, or desktops, it has managed to carve out a significant presence in each sector in 2025 due to its unique ecosystem and appeal.

The introduction of Meta Ray-Ban Displays signals a crucial turning point in the race to dominate the next era of computing. Smart glasses with displays represent a key milestone on the path towards all-day augmented reality, with a strong emphasis on AI.

For years, there has been anticipation around Apple’s potential entry into emergent technologies like VR. The hope was that Apple would redefine VR for the masses and deliver a superior product with its first device, similar to the impact of the first-generation iPhone in 2007.

However, the Vision Pro is not Apple’s equivalent of the first-gen iPhone. While a lighter and more affordable version could address certain issues, it may still struggle to avoid direct comparisons with Meta’s significantly cheaper devices.

AI is a crucial technology that Apple cannot afford to overlook, especially in terms of user data collection. Compared to its competitors, Apple has been behind in AI development, only launching its Apple Intelligence platform in late 2024 to compete with Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Apple needs to catch up in this area.

While Apple is set to introduce a revamped Siri this year to support its hardware ecosystem, smart glasses represent the forefront of AI integration. Even without displays, wearing an always-on device provides valuable data on user behavior that companies can leverage to enhance services, refine offerings, and ultimately shape the next major platform: all-day AR glasses.

This is the battleground where the real competition lies. Apple not only needs smart glasses to stay relevant in the evolving computing landscape but also to bridge the substantial price gap in components. As economies of scale drive down costs of intricate components, such as the expensive silicon carbide waveguides used in Meta’s AR prototype, which cost $10,000 each to produce, companies must innovate in creating parts suitable for a glasses form factor, with smart glasses serving as a crucial testing ground.