Apple is about to learn from Mark Zuckerberg

Apple is having to "learn" from Meta in the smart glasses race. Photo: AI .

According to Bloomberg , Apple has halted its plans to overhaul Vision Pro. This decision is to focus resources on urgently developing smart glasses focused on artificial intelligence (AI), a strategic move that is believed to be aimed at catching up and directly competing with Meta's successful products.

To meet this goal, Apple has transferred personnel from the project to develop a cheaper and lighter version of Vision Pro, codenamed N100, which was planned to launch in 2027. This move is to accelerate work on smart glasses.

This is an area where tech companies are racing to create AI-powered devices. Experts say these futuristic designs could challenge the smartphone's position, and Apple wants to make sure it's ready for this technological battle.

Apple is currently working on at least two separate models of smart glasses. The first, codenamed N50, will connect to an iPhone but will not have its own display. Apple is aiming to launch this version as early as next year, with a release date of 2027.

Consumer interest in the Vision Pro has waned since its launch in 2024. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg.

The second model is a version with a built-in display, intended to compete directly with Meta's recently released Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses. Originally slated for a 2028 launch, Apple is looking to shorten the development time for this model.

Currently, Apple is far behind Meta when this competitor has achieved unexpected success with Ray-Ban Meta glasses launched in 2023, after the Ray-Ban Stories product in 2021.

Apple's smart glasses will rely heavily on voice interaction and artificial intelligence, areas where the company has yet to truly excel. To address this challenge, Apple is betting on rebuilding its Siri virtual assistant, which is expected to launch as early as March next year.

The decision to halt the Vision Pro overhaul is the latest strategic adjustment following the device’s underwhelming debut. The $3,499 “super product” from Apple has been criticized for cramming technology at the expense of other important factors such as user comfort, usability and affordability.

Apple executives have even proactively acknowledged the shortcomings, calling the product "an overly complex and impractical piece of technology."

Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses with Integrated Display and AI. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg.

Prioritizing smart glasses also fits with the company’s long-term vision, outlined by CEO Tim Cook years ago. In 2016, when Vision Pro began development, Cook publicly expressed a preference for compact smart glasses over bulky headsets.

“Very few people would find it acceptable to be wrapped up in something, because we are fundamentally social beings,” said the Apple CEO.

Apple is still trying to shift its marketing focus to the enterprise market with Vision Pro — a strategy that Microsoft and Google have used with limited success.

In a broader market, competitors are accelerating rapidly. Amazon and Google have stepped up their AI hardware development. OpenAI has even partnered with former Apple designer Jony Ive to create new devices. Meanwhile, Meta has also had great success with smart glasses and is developing its next generation.

This forces Apple to accelerate significantly to catch up with competitors in this fertile technology land.

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-sap-hoc-theo-mark-zuckerberg-post1590164.html