A new report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicates the company's ambitious plans to develop a whole family of head-mounted devices. By 2028, Apple plans to release three updated Vision series headsets and four smart glasses models, which will offer advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, voice control, and new materials to reduce weight. This is reported by UNN with reference to Mashable.
Details
In a new blog post, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo detailed the company's plans. Kuo claims that "Apple views head-mounted devices as 'the next big trend in consumer electronics,' and that the company is currently working on three Vision series products and four smart glasses variants.
Starting with the Vision Pro, Apple is reportedly working on an updated version of the headset, with mass production scheduled for the third quarter of 2025. According to experts, this is a very simple update, where the main processor will be updated from Apple M2 to M5, while other characteristics will remain unchanged.
In the third quarter of 2027, Apple plans to release what Kuo calls "Vision Air" – a "substantially lighter" headset that will run on the latest flagship iPhone processor. Vision Air is reportedly set to have fewer sensors, more plastic, and less glass, as well as a magnesium alloy instead of titanium, which should reduce its weight by more than 40 percent compared to Vision Pro and allow Apple to sell it at a "significantly lower price" than the $3499 Vision Pro.
Apple still plans to release an updated version of Vision Pro with a new design, lighter body, and lower price, but this will not happen before the second half of 2028.
Apple Smart Glasses
Kuo indicates that Apple plans to mass-produce a "Ray-Ban-like" product in the second quarter of 2027. They will reportedly not have a display like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, but will feature audio playback, voice control, a camera, and artificial intelligence for environmental sensing.
Apple's version will also feature a gesture-based user interface
There are also "XR glasses" which reportedly feature an LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) display, voice control, and gesture recognition.
AI functionality will be critical to the product's success
The report also notes that an additional variant with a later production date is currently under development.
Finally, Kuo says Apple has put on hold the development of a "display accessory" that would connect to the Max via a cable, but there is still a possibility that it could be restarted.
In other words, Apple is reportedly not releasing any new products in any of these categories for another two years. But, if Kuo’s sources are accurate, Apple still plans to have a very broad lineup of head-mounted devices in a few years.
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