A standalone pair of AR glasses from Apple that exudes incredible computing capabilities is still a few years away, and it is likely that the technology giant will have lofty ambitions for this product, considering its performance output and weight, as it would not want the wearable experience to be cumbersome for the user. Unfortunately, it is a Herculean task for the company to develop a pair of AR glasses that match the aforementioned description, which is probably why a new report claims that the smart spectacles may be connected to the iPhone to deliver advanced functionality.
A previous report mentioned that the AR glasses could launch sometime in 2027, but Apple's plans could change in the blink of an eye. Just recently, an analyst stated that the low-cost Apple Vision Pro that was slated to arrive in 2025 has now had its production timeline delayed to beyond 2025. Similarly, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman does not have concrete information on when the smart glasses will arrive, but in the latest bit of his 'Power On' newsletter that was spotted by 9to5Mac, he has heard that the Cupertino firm is seriously considering a device that offloads computing to an iPhone.
The glasses will supposedly transform into an accessory for media consumption and sport an aesthetic similar to what Xreal offers. While tethering a product to an iPhone can be viewed as an encumbrance, Gurman believes that Apple's rumored approach would make the iPhone an even more popular product from the ecosystem as it is significantly more affordable than the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro.
"I also continue to hear that Apple is seriously considering a device that offloads the computing components to an iPhone and serves as an accessory for watching movies. That's something that would be roughly akin to the glasses offered by companies like Xreal. The benefit for Apple is that it would reinforce the iPhone as the center of its product ecosystem and offer something that could be a much more popular option than the $3,500 Vision Pro."
As for why Apple cannot proceed with the development of a standalone pair of smart glasses, company CEO Tim Cook said that the technology required to make a device that is parallel with the company's vision is too elusive. Additionally, the biggest obstacle is running a chip that can deliver iPhone-level performance while consuming one-tenth of the power, which is currently impossible.
We understand that Apple envisions a future where consumers have the convenience to perform nearly every task using spectacles as opposed to a mobile device, but technological limitations do exist. Perhaps we should have something noteworthy in the next decade, though it is entirely possible that Apple gets beaten to the punch by one of its many rivals, who are eager to obtain bragging rights by being the first to introduce a new product category.