Apple is reportedly doing market research into smart glasses after Meta’s ‘Orion’ demo made waves

The Orion glasses prototype debuted at Meta Connect 2024.

Apple is possibly considering entering the smart glasses market even as it reportedly scales back Vision Pro production.

After rival Meta made waves with its Orion demonstration and as its Ray-Ban smart glasses gain popularity, Apple is getting employee input on a range of existing smart glasses and planning to hold further focus groups, Bloomberg reported.

Apple often holds internal focus groups on existing products when it’s considering whether to branch out into a new product area, Bloomberg said.

Apple, which currently does not make smart glasses, launched the Vision Pro headset in February for $3,500, though the headset was met with lukewarm demand due to the lofty price and as consumers waited for a killer app. Last month, The Information reported that Apple has scaled back Vision Pro production.

The Vision Pro headset comes with an external battery pack and places a display — with a layout similar to that of an iPad — in front of a user’s eyes to be controlled with hand gestures and vocal commands. Meanwhile, Meta’s Ray-Bans could pass for regular sunglasses. The AI-enabled smart glasses have cameras, speakers, and a microphone, and they can be worn and used on the go.

For some time, smart glasses have struggled to take off. Tech giants like Google and Snap have failed in the past to launch eyewear that does more than shield the sun and improve vision. Both companies appear to be working on new versions of their smart glasses.

If Apple’s goal is to rival Meta’s unreleased Orion glasses, it has time to work on its product. Mark Zuckerberg may have demoed the $10,000 glasses, but the CEO said they aren’t ready for consumers — yet.

Meta’s third-quarter earnings report said it had “strong momentum” with AI-powered glasses. Its Ray-Bans, which start at $300, are featured in Oprah Winfrey’s iconic annual gift guide for 2024. While Meta could potentially benefit from the “Oprah Effect” this holiday season, Apple began its focus groups last week, Bloomberg reported.

A representative for Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from B-17.

Morningstar analyst William Kerwin previously told B-17 that Apple’s ultimate eyewear goal is likely “a form factor closer to glasses.”

The iPhone maker is known for its slower approach to launching new products. Generative AI has been a hot tech topic for over two years, but Apple launched its own GenAI software last week — several months after competitors had their tools online.