Apple's Internal Survey About Smart Glasses Hints at Future Product Plans

Apple is surveying its employees about smart glasses as it continues to consider releasing its own version of Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple has launched an internal study of products that are on the market, and is currently gathering feedback from Apple employees.

Apple Glasses Triad Feature
In an email sent out to employees, Apple's Product Systems Quality team called for participants for "an upcoming user study with current market smart glasses." According to Gurman, it is common for Apple to use focus groups when it is deciding on whether to enter a new market. Using employees for the focus groups allows Apple to keep its plans secret, something that wouldn't be possible with recruiting the public.

While a product is several years away, Apple is mulling making smart glasses that are similar to the Meta Ray-Bans. Meta's glasses have a camera and integrated AI so that users can ask questions about what's around them.

Apple could potentially design a simple set of glasses with a camera, Siri integration, and built-in speakers for listening to music, plus there could be included health capabilities. The glasses would essentially be an upgraded version of the AirPods with additional capabilities.

Smart glasses that integrate just a camera, speakers, and AI would be easy for Apple to produce, and it could be a way to boost wearable profits while work continues on augmented reality glasses. Apple has not been able to make AR glasses due to high costs and technical limitations that the company has not yet been able to overcome.

Gathering feedback from employees about Meta's glasses and other similar devices could provide Apple with valuable information on what features customers prefer.

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Top Rated Comments

LoveToMacRumors Avatar
25 weeks ago
Coming in 15 years at $7999
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Will Co Avatar
25 weeks ago
Yes please. An Apple level of privacy with some assistive vision features. Hell, yes.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boss.king Avatar
25 weeks ago

AR glasses are also not great because of how it works and how we use.

There are already AR glasses but they have many issues. FOV is one of the problem which is much narrower than pass through method.

But the most important issue is you will be distracted by AR while using an AR glasses which put you in danger while using and walking. Unless it works only if you stop moving, I dont think it's a good idea and it already contradicts the AR purpose which supposed to interact with the real environment.
People literally hold their phones in front of their face while walking, I doubt the type of AR achieved by glasses is going to be anywhere close to that level of a distraction.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dulcimer Avatar
25 weeks ago
It’s going to suck when these things become mainstream. Imagine how much more insufferable people will be with constant tech and cameras discreetly recording all the time from their face. At least today with smartphones you have to impose by holding a phone up.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
25 weeks ago

AR glasses are also not great because of how it works and how we use.

There are already AR glasses but they have many issues. FOV is one of the problem which is much narrower than pass through method.

But the most important issue is you will be distracted by AR while using an AR glasses which put you in danger while using and walking. Unless it works only if you stop moving, I dont think it's a good idea and it already contradicts the AR purpose which supposed to interact with the real environment.
Well good thing the article isn’t talking about AR glasses.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AndiG Avatar
25 weeks ago

Apple should already have had something like this in the pipeline—something that could have been a natural extension of the AirPods line. I own a pair of the Meta Ray-Bans and they're a legitimately nice piece of technology: normal-looking, low learning curve, not clunky at all. I'm a bit shocked they're a Meta product given how unobtrusive they are.

A surprising number of non-techie people I know also own pairs and genuinely like them. The audio quality is good, the cameras are okay, and you can disable the AI nonsense.
Meta caught Apple with its pants down dreaming about spatial computing and showed em what it is all about and how its done.





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Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)