During the earlier days of wearable headsets, it was unclear which would become the more dominating tech. VR? AR? Mixed reality? Well, as far as Apple is concerned, it seems that VR is no longer a priority. An exclusive report from AppleInsider has revealed Apple conducted layoffs in its VR department.
Apple conducts layoffs in VR department
According to the report, it seems that Apple no longer sees VR as a priority for the company. So much so that Apple has conducted layoffs in its VR team, along with the Apple Vision Group and other similar positions. However, AppleInsider doesn’t necessarily believe this is the end for the Apple Vision Group. Instead, they believe it’s a sign that Apple is backing off that particular category for now.
For those unfamiliar, the Apple Vision Group was the team responsible for the Vision Pro headset. The headset itself was honestly a technological wonder. Some of its features and capabilities seemed straight out of science fiction, but what was amazing was that Apple actually delivered as promised.
The only problem was its size, weight, and price. This made it hard to justify for casual users, but that was never really Apple’s intention to begin with. Instead, it was supposed to be a platform for Apple to launch and test visionOS, which is expected to make its way into future Apple wearables.
What’s next?
As AppleInsider notes, Apple isn’t killing the Vision Pro. The company is expected to continue working on it, but downsizing the team means Apple can dedicate resources to its other wearable endeavors.
For instance, there have been rumors that Apple is planning its own smart glasses. This would be done in response to Meta’s Ray-Bans. It would also be Apple’s answer to Google’s Android XR and Samsung’s smart glasses. It’s a smart play, especially when you look at the figures.
According to the IDC’s analysis, smart glasses without a display are expected to grow significantly over the next 4-5 years. It’s not surprising, though. Compared to the Vision Pro, Meta’s Ray-Bans are significantly more affordable. Plus, we’re seeing them used in a lot of creator content, making them more appealing, even though they might be slightly more “low-tech” in nature.
We still don’t know when Apple plans to launch its own smart glasses. But the latest rumors are suggesting late 2027.
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