Project Atlas: how Apple plans to surpass the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses
*Header image is referential and showcases the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. | Image credit — Meta
Some time ago Bloomberg’s Apple insider Mark Gurman revealed that the Vision Pro was a compromise, and that the company had initially wanted to make true AR smart glasses. Limited by the technology of that time Apple instead settled for a Mixed Reality headset that still costs a fortune. Now, the company has started research on a potential rival to Meta’s highly successful non-AR smart glasses.
This decision was made because of the unprecedented success the Ray-Ban smart glasses saw. Meta restructured Reality Labs — its XR (Extended Reality) division — to focus more on similar wearables as the glasses outsold every other product on Ray-Ban stores. The appeal of these glasses is the relatively affordable cost as well as the practicality of Meta AI in glasses form.
Apple, understandably, wants a slice of this pie, and has reportedly begun gathering data from employees that are knowledgeable about the industry. Similar to how the company has approached other product categories in the past, Apple is looking to do things its way. We can expect a final product that is highly polished and probably a bit too expensive.
Some time ago Bloomberg’s Apple insider Mark Gurman revealed that the Vision Pro was a compromise, and that the company had initially wanted to make true AR smart glasses. Limited by the technology of that time Apple instead settled for a Mixed Reality headset that still costs a fortune. Now, the company has started research on a potential rival to Meta’s highly successful non-AR smart glasses.
Apple, understandably, wants a slice of this pie, and has reportedly begun gathering data from employees that are knowledgeable about the industry. Similar to how the company has approached other product categories in the past, Apple is looking to do things its way. We can expect a final product that is highly polished and probably a bit too expensive.
The Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses launched without AI and were very basic at first. | Video credit — Meta
One of the biggest downsides of such compact wearables is the battery life, especially if these devices are constantly in use. Insiders at Apple claim that the company wants to incorporate its AirPods technology into the glasses, helping it achieve better battery life. The specifics are a bit iffy at the moment but I’ll never say no to longer lasting batteries.
These glasses will also very likely run on Apple Intelligence similar to how the Ray-Ban glasses use Meta AI. However, it still remains to be seen whether Apple Intelligence will turn out to be as good as Apple boasts it is. The major Siri revamp is still a few months away and current AI features are a hit or miss most of the time.
Apple is also allegedly still considering a proper pair of smart AR glasses. Meta recently unveiled the Orion AR glasses and they looked like a glimpse into the future. The technology is too expensive for a consumer version to hit the shelves just yet and that gives Apple a lot of time to get its own glasses done just right.
But with Horizon OS now available to third parties and the Quest 3S selling for insanely cheap prices, Meta’s grip on XR is stronger than ever before. Apple is going to have to really wow the world if it hopes for a chance to claim a spot on the XR stage.
These glasses will also very likely run on Apple Intelligence similar to how the Ray-Ban glasses use Meta AI. However, it still remains to be seen whether Apple Intelligence will turn out to be as good as Apple boasts it is. The major Siri revamp is still a few months away and current AI features are a hit or miss most of the time.
But with Horizon OS now available to third parties and the Quest 3S selling for insanely cheap prices, Meta’s grip on XR is stronger than ever before. Apple is going to have to really wow the world if it hopes for a chance to claim a spot on the XR stage.
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