Apple Glasses are reportedly in development with a targeted 2026 launch, and rumors around the new AI product indicate that Apple may find itself in surprising agreement with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Zuckerberg says glasses are ‘ideal form factor for AI’
Yesterday Meta reported its quarterly earnings, and Mark Zuckerberg shared a big vote of confidence in smart glasses on the investor call.
Per Meta’s transcript of the call, here’s what Zuckerberg said:
I continue to think that glasses are basically going to be the ideal form factor for AI because you can let an AI see what you see throughout the day, hear what you hear, talk to you. […]
I wear contact lenses, I feel like if I didn’t have my vision corrected, I’d be sort of at a cognitive disadvantage going through the world. And I think in the future, if you don’t have glasses that have AI or some way to interact with AI, I think you’re kind of similarly probably be at a pretty significant cognitive disadvantage compared to other people who you’re working with, or competing against.
Meta has clearly had success with its smart glasses so far, despite the product category being very young.
But Zuckerberg’s outlook for the product seems much bigger than current consumer trends support, seeing glasses as “the ideal form factor for AI.”
Though Apple and Meta often find themselves with differing stances on a variety of issues, I’m now starting to think Apple might agree with Zuckerberg’s view on glasses.
Apple Glasses pivot to AI shows a shared view with Meta
Over the past year, rumors have indicated that Apple is investing a lot into making AI glasses its next big product. And it’s accelerated the timeline.
Not long ago, ‘Apple Glasses’ were believed to be a years-away AR product. Essentially, the future, slimmed down version of Apple Vision Pro technology.
At the time, reporting indicated Apple planned to compete with products like Meta’s smart glasses in an altogether different way. Not with glasses, but by adding cameras to its current wearables: Apple Watch and AirPods.
But then came word that Apple was aggressively accelerating a smart glasses project of its own. At the same time, plans to add a camera to the Apple Watch were discontinued.
Now, Apple Glasses are expected to ship before 2026 ends.
Like Meta’s product, they won’t have AR support, but rather be AI-centered.
Top comment by Nutmac
Apple's eyeglasses project has been widely rumored to be in development since the days of Google Glass and Apple Watch, with patents dating as far back as 2008. However, there have been signs of more serious efforts in the mid-2010s. Notably, a very detailed patent was filed in 2017, which predates Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses by four years.
Apple is not known for being the first to introduce a product, and I don't think Apple is Zuckerberg’s lead.
From the outside looking in, it sounds like Apple has officially bought into smart glasses hype. And recognizes that if it waits for AR glasses, it could be left behind.
Thus, AI-centric Apple Glasses are now coming faster than a brand new product category normally would. Which makes the company’s recent Siri struggles all the more consequential.
Rumors can never provide a full picture of what’s happening behind the scenes at Apple, but it sounds a lot like the company and Zuckerberg are in agreement: AI is crucial to computing, and glasses could be “the ideal form factor for AI.”
Do you think AI glasses will become the next big thing, whether for Apple or otherwise? Let us know in the comments.
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