“Apple Glass” design concept by iPhone_lov_er on Instagram
Recent reports indicate that Apple has abandoned a venture aimed at creating affordable augmented reality glasses, as the initiative reportedly failed to align with the expectations of company executives.
This innovative piece of technology was envisioned as an ordinary pair of spectacles incorporating integrated displays. It required consistent connectivity to a Mac computer.
Internally known as N107, this device was designed to be a more budget-friendly alternative to the Apple Vision Pro. With a starting price point close to $3,500 before tax, many potential users found the Vision Pro’s cost prohibitive.
The proposed glasses would have utilized projectors capable of bringing visuals directly into each eye’s field of vision. This feature was intended to enable users to engage in work within an enriched digital environment.
The Apple Vision Pro already includes capabilities such as ultra-wide Mac display mirroring—an aspect frequently highlighted as one of its main attractions.
Unlike its high-end counterpart, N107 aimed for user comfort without needing additional support like head straps due to its lightweight design.
Bloomberg reported that developers initially anticipated N107 could link with an iPhone. However, they discovered that it demanded significant processing resources and tended to deplete iPhone batteries rapidly.
By tethering it to a Mac, users would benefit from enhanced processing power and a far larger battery supply. Unfortunately, this approach did not resonate well among higher management during evaluations.
Members within the Apple Vision Products Group expressed concerns regarding the project’s unclear trajectory. The absence of definitive direction raised apprehensions about its viability leading up to its termination in late January.
It has been reported that Meta Platforms is advancing with their own augmented reality venture involving Ray-Ban smart glasses set for potential release by 2027 despite Apple’s retreat from N107.
Meanwhile, sources indicate that Apple continues development on an upcoming successor for the Apple Vision Pro model—a testament not only against stagnation but also towards future innovation in AR technologies.
N107 represents just one instance among several canceled initiatives at Apple; in February 2024 alone, they decided against continuing their secretive Project Titan concerning self-driving vehicles—termed “a Titanic disaster” by insiders familiar with it.
Additionally, plans for launching a standalone hardware subscription service specific to the iPhone were also scrapped—likely because existing offerings like the iPhone Upgrade Program already cover similar ground effectively.