Apple has recently been taking important steps to diversify its investments in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). After the Vision Pro glasses introduced by the company in 2023, it is observed that the search for alternatives continues, especially to expand access to AR content. According to Bloomberg’s latest news; With internal research, this time Apple is focusing on smart glasses, which are a lighter and more accessible device.
According to the report, this new initiative called “Atlas” was launched last week. Selected Apple employees were recruited to share their thoughts and experiences with specific smart glasses. While this group evaluates the various functionalities of smart glasses, it also provides important feedback on possible consumer demands. In the statement made by Apple, an important part of the company’s product development process is data obtained from employee experiences. In this context, Apple avoids sharing the feedback it collects from its employees with external stakeholders in the early stages in order to ensure the confidentiality of the development process. This reveals that the company carries out product development studies in line with the information obtained from its own employees, in line with its privacy strategy.
Apple is preparing to compete with Meta in the field of smart glasses
Although it is known that Apple has been working on augmented reality devices for a long time and is expanding its research on this subject, the company has not yet offered a concrete product in the field of smart glasses. On the other hand, Meta has made remarkable progress in this field with the glasses it produced in collaboration with Ray-Ban. Although Meta’s smart glasses do not have an advanced screen, they offer users functions such as listening to music, answering calls and interacting with the artificial intelligence assistant. These glasses are preferred by a wide audience because they are low cost and users can use them comfortably in daily life.
It is thought that Apple’s smart glasses strategy aims to create a lighter and more accessible alternative to such devices. Because Vision Pro’s high price tag of $ 499 makes it difficult for the device to appeal to a wide audience. Apple’s development of a more accessible product has the potential to appeal to a wider user base and gain an advantage over competitors such as Meta. The smart glasses model that can present images with the help of micro LED projectors, introduced by Meta with the project called “Orion”, is among the notable developments in this field. However, while Meta states that it does not plan to launch this product in the near future, technology circles state that the lightweight and user-friendly design offered by Orion is promising.
It is stated that it will take a few more years for Apple to launch its own smart glasses. In addition to the company’s ongoing development work on Vision Pro, it is known that it is also making efforts to produce a more affordable model. It is stated that work is continuing on an improved second generation Vision Pro model, especially with a higher processor speed. It seems that Apple aims to gain a competitive position in the smart glasses industry by moving forward with the feedback it receives from its employees in this process.