Apple Has Big Vision Pro Plans for 2027, Including Smart Glasses, Analyst Says

CNET

2 days ago

Apple will release multiple head-mounted AR and VR products in 2027, according to respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities. An upgraded Vision Pro headset will also drop later this year, the report last week said.
There are three Vision series products currently in development, along with four pairs of smart glasses. A Ray-Ban Meta-style smart glasses product will see 3 million to 5 million shipments in 2027. Apple expects to ship more than 10 million AR/VR products in 2027, suggesting the company sees this as the next major consumer tech category.
However, later this year, according to the report, Apple will release the Vision Pro M5 Version, which will feature an upgrade from Apple's M2 chip.
And in 2027, the report says Apple will release a lighter Vision Air that'll feature a 40% reduction in weight and will be powered by the latest iPhone processor. A second-generation Vision Pro is slated for 2028 with a brand new and "significantly lighter" design at a lower price. On the smart glasses end, a mass market displayless pair of frames will see a 2027 release. For those wanting an XR experience, extended reality glasses with a built-in see-through color display will come out in 2028, and those will feature AI connectivity.
Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Smart glasses market is continuing to grow
The global smart glasses market was valued at $1.93 billion in 2024 and is projected to rise to $8.26 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. It's why many players in Big Tech are jumping in on creating the next generation of wearable technology.
Meta, along with its Ray-Ban and Oakley-branded smart glasses, has shown off its Orion prototype, featuring a transparent display that can project information on the lens.
Earlier this year, Google unveiled Android XR, its new AR and VR platform, along with glasses made in collaboration with Qualcomm and Samsung. Chipmaker Nvidia is also working on AI models to help the smart glasses experience.
In this race, Meta has the most to gain since it doesn't own a phone or computing platform and is largely beholden to rule changes from Apple, Microsoft and Google. However, gaining a footing in the AR and VR space could allow it to own both a hardware and software stack in smart glasses market.
But Apple has massive brand loyalty, and entrance into this space would be a major threat to Meta's current market dominance. At the moment, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses have sold 2 million units, and its Quest VR headset have also pushed 20 million units.