Apple has paused work on its next Vision Pro model to concentrate on creating smart glasses to rival Meta’s. The company had been preparing a cheaper and lighter version of the Vision Pro, internally called N100, for a release in 2027. That plan is delayed as engineers have been reassigned to accelerate progress on glasses, Bloomberg reports.
Sources tell Bloomberg that Apple is working on at least two types of glasses. The first, codenamed N50, will connect to an iPhone and lack its own display. Sources say it could be shown as soon as next year and arrive in 2027. Apple is also developing a version with a built-in display, which had been set for 2028 but is now being fast-tracked.
The glasses are expected to come in different styles and to have speakers, cameras, and voice controls. The company is also exploring health-tracking tools for the device.
Meta remains ahead in this category. Its smart glasses line began in 2021 with Ray-Ban Stories, later followed by the Ray-Ban Meta in 2023, which proved more popular than its VR headsets. Last month, Meta introduced the $799 Ray-Ban Display glasses with new AI functions and a screen, giving the company a head start in the segment.
Apple’s Vision Pro, launched in 2024 at $3,499, has struggled to gain traction with consumers who found it heavy, expensive, poorly constructed, and lacking in apps. Apple is still planning a version with faster chips, but the company now sees glasses as a more effective path forward.