Agree they need to keep price down as much as possible but this really depends on what they can do. If the feature set is strong enough, I'd pay more. If they function as a heads up display / have excellent video and audio recording features and battery life, I'd pay more.
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Apple's Smart Glasses Plans Already Triggering Industry Changes
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I've been waiting for Apple Glasses since 2015. I think once Apple cracks it, it'll be as disruptive as the iPhone was. I think Cook wants to exit with that product line being part of his legacy.
Even if it would launch this year, it'll take years before it becomes mature and part of the mainstream. But it will keep being exciting year after year, unlike smartphones. One year they'll manage to nail having notes on your wall and the Glasses showing them seamlessly even when moving around. Then later they'll have much better "display" capabilites, showing off videos that look good even in daylight. The weight and battery and standaloneness will improve, making it tempting to upgrade often.
Then much later the AI incorporation will make it capable of interpreting the world around you and showing widgets from stores, basically holograms. This will be adopted by many organizations just like different websites got proper mobile versions once smartphones took off. We'll wonder how we bothered to just use the little screens on our phones. As someone who tries to become more minimalist and less relient on tech, I must admit that I won't be able to keep my hands off one for long.
Even if it would launch this year, it'll take years before it becomes mature and part of the mainstream. But it will keep being exciting year after year, unlike smartphones. One year they'll manage to nail having notes on your wall and the Glasses showing them seamlessly even when moving around. Then later they'll have much better "display" capabilites, showing off videos that look good even in daylight. The weight and battery and standaloneness will improve, making it tempting to upgrade often.
Then much later the AI incorporation will make it capable of interpreting the world around you and showing widgets from stores, basically holograms. This will be adopted by many organizations just like different websites got proper mobile versions once smartphones took off. We'll wonder how we bothered to just use the little screens on our phones. As someone who tries to become more minimalist and less relient on tech, I must admit that I won't be able to keep my hands off one for long.
It was specced and priced as a "Pro" because its primary target market is not the average consumer.
You do realize that Apple throws the word "pro" on their products as a marketing ploy to jack up the prices.
I worry that we all have short memories.
We knew back in 2014 with the original Google Glass that 'glass-oles' were an issue and it was creepy talking to someone who was recording you.
Now it's OK because the hardware is thinner and lighter & with better battery power?
That’s not true for Apple’s core prosumer products, that’s just a cynical take by people who often know nothing about market segmentation to claim that’s the case with most of Apple’s prosumer products.
You can argue that being the case at best solely for the AirPods Pro and their headset equivalent.
That’s definitely not the case for the Macbook Pro, iPad Pro, Vision Pro, Mac Pro, and Pro Display XDR
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Nope, you can set them to record up to 3 minutes if you like. I used them on my trip to Japan and I have a ton of pictures and videos where I was just focused on what I was seeing instead of pulling out my phone.
I use them on all my hikes as I currently live in Washington and at work I listen to music all day long and can still hear everything that is going on around me.
I still feel creeped out by the idea of people wearing tiny cameras & microphones. I know that anytime I'm in public, someone could be recording me but these things make it easier to do it and easier to do it subtly. That increases the creepiness. Not that anyone would want to record me, I'm more concerned for others than myself.
Just me, or do those look a little too much like Tim Cook's frames?
Apple's rumored plan to enter the smart glasses market by late 2026 is already reshaping the global AR optics supply chain, according to DigiTimes.
According to the paywalled report, demand for smart glasses from the likes of Meta is rising steadily, but the industry now expects Apple's equivalent product to act as the primary catalyst for large-scale commercialization. Multiple suppliers across Taiwan's optical sector have apparently increased capital expenditure to expand capacity and shift research priorities toward AR technologies, citing Apple's expected requirements.
For example, Kinko Optical has positioned itself as a key supplier by opening a new AR, VR, and MR research center, backed by an investment of about $5.6 million. Kinko is currently the only Taiwanese company developing both nanoimprint optical waveguides and optical engines at the same time, technologies that are essential to modern AR glasses designs. Joint development projects with clients are expected to begin in 2026, aligning with the rumored launch timelines of major new products from brands like Apple.
Other Taiwanese suppliers are moving in the same direction. Asia Optical is accelerating development of AR, VR, and metalens products and has partnered with Singapore-based MetaOptics to co-develop metalens technology. JMO Corp. has already entered AR glasses supply chains, while Aiimax Innovation has completed metalens samples now undergoing brand certification.
Samsung has already announced plans to launch AR glasses in 2026, while Apple is expected to introduce its first smart glasses by the end of the year. Apple's entry is expected to increase volumes, stabilize supply chains, and lower component costs, prompting Taiwanese suppliers to position themselves more aggressively as the market for smart glasses expands.
Article Link: Apple's Smart Glasses Plans Already Triggering Industry Changes
