Apple is said to be developing several head-mounted wearable products. According to a market analyst, as many as seven extended reality (XR) headsets and smart glasses are in the works across two product groups, and the launch timeline for about five of them is known.
The first will be a M5-powered Apple Vision Pro and it may be introduced as soon as Q3 2025. Meanwhile, the Cupertino-based tech giant is also developing a smart glass competitor to the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses.
In a blog post, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple is planning to launch the next iteration of the Apple Vision Pro powered by the M5 chipset. Its mass production is slated to be scheduled for Q3 2025 and the Cupertino-based company is expecting to ship between 150,000 to 200,000 units in the first year.
Most of the specifications are said to remain unchanged, except for the SoC which may get an upgrade from M2 to M5. As per Kuo, the Vision Pro will still remain a niche product which is aimed at XR applications, developing the ecosystem, and reducing the component inventory.
The second product in the Apple Vision lineup is said to be the Vision Air. The analyst said that its mass production will begin in Q3 2027, powered by a flagship iPhone processor. The XR headset is reported to feature a new form factor. It may weigh up to 40 percent less compared to the Vision Pro, with Apple replacing glass with plastic, using magnesium alloy, and reducing the sensor count.
Apple Smart Glasses
In the coming years, Apple is expected to diversify its wearables lineup starting with a smart glass competitor to the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses. Kuo said this product will come with multiple options for frame and temple material. It is expected to offer voice control and gesture recognition for navigating across the UI.
Similar to the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, the Apple smart glass may not come with display functionality. Instead, they may rely on audio playback, camera, video recording, and AI-based environmental sensing. Mass production of the Apple smart glasses is slated to begin in 2Q 2027, with 3-5 million units projected to ship in the first year. As per Kuo, the smart glass category could replace TWS and smartphone camera functions and is said to have the “highest near-term growth potential”.
Meanwhile, Apple is also developing another type of XR glasses whose mass production may begin in the second half of 2028. Similar to the Ray-Ban Meta competitor, these glasses are also reported to come with voice control and gesture recognition. However, the company will also equip them with a Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) with waveguide and a supporting colour screen. AI functionality is said to be at the centre of this product.
As per Kuo, another variant of the XR glasses with lower visibility and a later production timeline is also in development.
The last product that is in the works at Apple is a Display accessory which may display content from other devices like the iPhone when tethered. It could have Birdbath optics along with electrochromic dimming. The product was originally scheduled for mass production in Q2 2026, but has been put on hold since Q4 2024 due to “insufficient competitive advantage. The Cupertino-based tech giant is reportedly deliberating over its repositioning as well as the requirement of specifications.
Source: NDTV
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
