In the world of XR wearables the centre of gravity is shifting. Bulky VR headsets are out; lightweight AR glasses that keep users heads-up, hands-free, and connected to what matters are in.
Apple Shelves Vision Pro Plans
Apple has reportedly paused development on the next-gen Vision Pro, instead prioritising AI-first smart glasses - a sharp pivot after its $3,499 headset struggled to break beyond early adopters. The new glasses are slated for a 2026 launch, but don’t expect a holographic HUD just yet.
Rather than offering a full AR display, the glasses will likely function as a companion to the iPhone, handling everyday tasks like taking photos and answering calls. It’s a quieter, more incremental step than the Vision Pro’s sci-fi ambitions - but it’s strategically sound.
While the Apple Vision Pro made waves among enterprise XR buyers intrigued by spatial computing’s potential, consumer adoption stalled. High costs, hefty weight, and a limited app ecosystem proved hard to swallow - especially with the comparatively affordable Meta Quest 3 sitting right next to it on store shelves. Apple’s pause suggests a clear internal conclusion: immersive headsets alone won’t carry the platform forward.
Behind the scenes, this shift is about prioritising prevalence over spectacle. By betting on a device that can live on users’ faces all day, Apple is aiming to move spatial computing from “special occasion” to ambient everyday utility.
Meta Makes Glasses the Headline Act
Apple isn’t pivoting in a vacuum. Over at Meta Connect 2025, smart glasses stole the spotlight. The Ray-Ban Meta Display - complete with in-lens screen - arrived alongside a neural wristband for subtle gesture control, staking out a vision that looks more like stylish eyewear than a lab prototype.
With a $799 price tag and a U.S. rollout, Meta is clearly playing to win now, not in some distant future. Early retail sell-outs hint that demand is real, not just hype, and Meta is using this momentum to stake out platform leadership.
Mark Zuckerberg was characteristically direct:
