Inside Apple's secret smart glasses and Vision roadmap

If you've been waiting for Apple to fix the weight and price tag of the Vision Pro, you might want to settle in. A comprehensive roadmap just leaked from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, mapping out Apple's head-mounted ambitions through the end of the decade.

According to Kuo, Apple has at least seven wearable projects in development, including three Vision-class headsets and four smart glasses products. Five of these already have confirmed development timelines.

The calm before the 2027 shift

Don't expect any surprises in the near term.

For 2025, Apple will only release a minor refresh of the original Vision Pro, swapping in an M5 chip with no other physical design changes. Kuo expects a modest shipment of just 150,000 to 200,000 units this year, primarily aimed at sustaining developer interest and clearing out component inventory.

There are zero releases planned for 2026. The real offensive begins in 2027.

In Q2 2027, Apple plans to mass-produce its first smart glasses, clearly targeting the territory carved out by Meta's Ray-Bans. The frames will feature voice control and gesture recognition with no built-in screen, relying on audio, cameras, and AI-powered environmental awareness. Apple is aiming for 3 to 5 million units in its debut year, marking its first high-volume wearable release.

Right behind it in Q3 2027 is the Apple Vision Air. Apple is targeting a massive 40% weight reduction by ditching exterior glass for plastic, utilizing magnesium alloy, and stripping out select sensors. Instead of an M-series chip, it will run on an iPhone flagship processor, cutting the retail price considerably.

Heavyweights arriving in 2028

The true Apple Vision Pro successor won't arrive until the second half of 2028. It promises a redesigned lightweight chassis, Mac-grade performance, and a friendlier price tag.

Launching alongside it is Apple XR Glasses, a more advanced pair featuring color LCoS displays and waveguide optics. Kuo notes that AI will be the make-or-break element for this device.

Not every project survived the drawing board. Kuo revealed that Apple paused development on a tethered display accessory in late 2024. Featuring Birdbath optics and electrochromic dimming, the device tipped the scales at 120 to 130 grams. Seeing competitors push sub-100-gram alternatives, Apple pulled the plug to re-evaluate its specs.

Why it matters

For regular consumers, the takeaway is simple: skip the Vision Pro for now. The upcoming M5 refresh is purely a placeholder for enterprise and developers. The first accessible hardware for everyday users won't land until 2027 with the Vision Air and smart glasses.

Strategically, this signals that Apple recognizes spatial computing cannot win on brute-force hardware alone. Meta's success with Ray-Bans proved that lightweight, display-free hardware paired with AI cameras is the fastest route into consumers' daily routines. Apple aiming for up to 5 million glasses in 2027 is proof of that course correction.

We think pivoting the Vision Air to an iPhone-class chip and plastic shell is a smart compromise. The biggest vulnerability, however, is software. Kuo highlighted that Apple's main bottleneck remains AI functionality. If Siri and Apple Intelligence don't deliver seamless multimodal awareness by 2027, even the sleekest frames will struggle to become essential.