Apple's first smart glasses could arrive in the next two years
Apple’s custom chip is expected to enter mass production in time to power the company’s first smart glasses, which are aimed to compete with Meta’s upcoming AR spectacles in 2027. According to rumors, Apple is working on its first smart glasses that will come equipped with built-in cameras and microphones, enabling users to interact with Siri and leverage visual intelligence capabilities that are set to rival Meta’s Ray-Bans.
Development of Apple's Smart Glasses
The project has reportedly progressed into a new phase, with a custom chip specifically designed for the glasses currently in development. As per Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, this chip is anticipated to enter mass production in either 2026 or 2027. If these reports hold true, consumers can expect Apple’s first smart glasses to hit the market within the next two years.
Features and Capabilities
Apple’s smart glasses are speculated to feature multiple cameras, enabling users to capture spatial video among other functionalities. The glasses will also leverage Visual Intelligence, a feature similar to Google Lens, to describe objects in the user's viewfinder and provide navigation instructions.
According to Gurman, Apple’s semiconductor design team, under the leadership of Johny Srouji, is working on developing bespoke chips to power various upcoming Apple products, including the smart glasses. The chip being developed for the glasses is based on Apple Watch processors and has been customized to enhance power efficiency by removing certain components.
Technical Details
The chip design incorporates elements from the Apple Watch processors, known for their power efficiency. Through a process called binning, the chip is categorized based on performance levels to maximize production efficiency. In the case of Apple's smart glasses, it appears that a binned Apple Watch chip will be utilized.
Additionally, the processor is being tailored to manage the multiple cameras integrated into the glasses, similar to the setup in the Vision Pro headset, which utilizes custom chips for various functions.
Expected Functions
Apple’s smart glasses are projected to include features like environmental scanning, object description, product information lookup, and navigation assistance. Despite not focusing on augmented reality (AR) functions, the glasses will offer standard smart glasses capabilities such as playing music, making calls, displaying notifications, taking photos, recording videos, translation services, interacting with Siri, and more.
Future Developments
While Apple's AR glasses are still in the works, the hardware division is exploring the concept of AR glasses that would overlay media and applications onto real-world views under the codename N401. Apple is also working on custom chips for future camera-equipped Apple Watch models, aimed to be ready around 2027.
Moreover, Apple is developing chips for in-house designed servers that will support complex Apple Intelligence models that require off-device processing.
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