Technical difficulties got in the way: Apple ditches development of augmented reality glasses

Apple has decided to cancel the development of augmented reality glasses that were supposed to be connected to its devices. This step is a new setback for the company in its efforts to create a headset that would appeal to a wider range of consumers.

The decision was made this week after Apple felt that finding the right technology for the product at an affordable price range had become extremely difficult. Initially, the project envisaged the creation of glasses with built-in displays that required connection to a Mac, but in practice, this product proved unsuccessful, Bloomberg reports.

Initially, as part of the glasses' development, Apple planned to connect the device directly to the iPhone. However, technological difficulties with the phone's processor power complicated the realization of this idea. Problems with the power supply and battery life of the iPhone forced the company to move the connection to the Mac, which had more powerful processors and larger batteries. However, even this change did not help to achieve the desired results, and during product testing, it turned out that the functions did not meet the requirements.

Internal concerns about the future of the project were evident among employees of the Apple Vision Products Group. Team members working on the new glasses noted that the project was losing focus and lacked a clear direction. Absence of clarity in leadership also became a problem, and eventually it was decided to close the initiative. This was another unsuccessful attempt by the company to make headset technology popular among consumers, the publication writes.

Despite the abandonment of the N107 glasses, Apple continues to work on improving its previous Vision Pro project. This gadget, although not an instant success due to its high price and bulky design, remains a technological achievement for the company. Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, repeatedly noted during the conference that the product is beginning to gain recognition among corporate users. The company hopes to further develop and improve Vision Pro to make it more attractive to a wider audience.

While Apple continues to work on Vision Pro, Meta, which is the main competitor in this segment, does not stop its efforts. It is already developing augmented glasses that will appear on the market in 2027. It is expected that their version will allow users to receive additional information and overlay graphics and text on real-world plane of sight, which is a significant advantage over Apple's current product.

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