Apple is working on new chips that are destined for smart glasses that would compete with Meta's Ray-Bans, reports Bloomberg. The chip is in development now, with Apple targeting mass production in 2026 or 2027 for a launch in the next two years or so.
The Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses do not have augmented reality capabilities, but are equipped with a camera and AI functionality. Apple has been considering a competitor for at least a year, and has apparently decided to move forward with development.
Apple's smart glasses will include cameras, microphones, and integrated AI, much like the Ray-Bans from Meta, and they would presumably have similar functions like snapping photos, recording video, and offering translation options. Apple could also integrate a Visual Intelligence-like feature for scanning the environment and describing objects, looking up information about products, and providing directions. The glasses will have multiple cameras included, so they could also potentially record spatial video.
The chip that Apple is designing for the smart glasses is based on chips that are used in the Apple Watch. These SoCs use less energy than the chips in devices like the iPhone, and Apple has already optimized it to improve power efficiency.
While Apple is designing the Ray-Ban like glasses to compete with Meta, it is still working on augmented reality glasses, but that product will not be ready for some time.
