Smart glasses are predicted to replace smartphones. They can be worn and no longer need to be held. Ray-Ban Meta proves that there is a market for smartphones with built-in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Leading analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has published his latest prediction that says Apple will offer its affordable smart glasses and Vision Pro starting in 2027.
According to Kuo, the first smart glasses “Apple Glass” will arrive in 2027 and not 2026 as previously predicted. It is like Ray-Ban Meta in that it can be controlled using voice, record videos, take pictures and play music. But it does not come with a screen built into the glass like the prototype Android XR glasses shown at Google I/O last May. Apple’s first XR glasses will only be offered starting in 2028 with built-in screen technology.
He added that the Vision Pro Air headset will be available in 2027 and is made of plastic and magnesium alloy to reduce weight by up to 40% compared to the original Vision Pro. It will also use Apple's A-series chip instead of Apple's M-series.
Speaking of the updated Vision Pro, Kuo predicts that it will start production in Q3 2025 with the Apple M5 chip. There will be no changes to the design and other specifications. The Vision Pro Gen-2 with a bigger hardware update will only start production in H2 2028. Like the Vision Pro Air, it is lighter but equipped with Apple's M-series chip.