A fresh report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that Apple has canceled its plans to develop augmented reality (AR) glasses. Initially intended to compete with Meta's future AR glasses, Apple wanted its AR glasses to connect with its devices. However, according to sources close to the matter, Apple has ditched its AR glasses plans after the headset team struggled with performance issues and constant design changes.
The scrapped Apple AR glasses, codenamed N107, were designed to resemble regular glasses but with built-in displays that would allow users to interact with the augmented reality world. Apple planned to integrate a feature into the AR glasses that would allow it to connect to iPhones. However, concerns over the iPhone's processing power and battery life when paired with the AR glasses made production increasingly uncertain.
Apple later considered linking the smart glasses to a Mac, which has a more powerful processor and bigger battery. However, in early testing with the executives, the AR glasses connected to a Mac computer performed poorly leading to additional design modifications and changes in desired features. This ultimately made Apple reconsider the project, and the final decision to cancel it was made this week.
Apple hoped to establish a strong presence in the AR glasses market, which Meta has a strong hold on. But after the cancelation of the AR glasses project, Meta will have an edge in the market, potentially strengthening its position with its future smart glasses. The company already has AR glasses in partnership with Ray-Ban, which are quite popular and has plans to launch new models in 2027.
This is not the first time that Apple has canceled a project. Previously, the company had canceled its ambitious self-driving car project and also scrapped plans for custom Apple Watch screens. The decision to shelve the AR glasses project could also be a result of the below-expected market performance of the Vision Pro headset, which failed to gain traction from the general public, thanks to its hefty design and price.
Source: Bloomberg
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