Apple-Brillen-Roadmap enthüllt: AI-Fotobrillen und die jugendliche Version des Head-Mounted-Displays Vision Air erscheinen 2027. Kommt es erneut "spät, aber sicher"?

The Next AirPods

Undoubtedly, the most talked-about tech product throughout 2025 is smart glasses.

Not only have two star brands, Rokid and Meta, launched new glasses, but Xiaomi's long-awaited first smart glasses have finally hit the market. At Google's annual conference, we also saw this giant enter the "lightweight glasses" and "headset" markets.

Recent news indicates that Apple can no longer hold back.

Recently, Apple Vision Pro users received an official user survey. In addition to the regular satisfaction and feature surveys for Vision Pro, there were also questions about smart glasses products that Apple has not yet ventured into, and it even mentioned Ray-Ban Meta.

It's almost as if they're telling the world that they're going to launch glasses.

2027: The Year of Apple's AI Glasses

Guo Mingji of Tianfeng International recently released a roadmap that includes all the existing products and planned new ones in Apple's Vision product line.

Considering that this analyst has always been very accurate in the past, Apple's layout for glasses and headset devices in the next three years is clearly visible in this chart:

In short: A series of Apple glasses and headsets will be launched in the next three years.

2025:

The Vision Pro with the M5 chip is planned to be launched in the third quarter.

2027:

Smart glasses focusing on photography, audio, and AI are planned to be launched in the second quarter.

"Vision Air", with a more lightweight design and an iPhone processor, is planned to be launched in the third quarter.

2028:

Vision Pro 2, with a brand-new design, lighter weight, and lower price, is planned to be launched in the second half of the year.

XR glasses with display technology are planned to be launched in the second half of the year.

In addition, there are reports that Apple is internally exploring a wired version of the Vision Pro that needs to be connected to a Mac for use.

Next, let's take a look at Guo Mingji's revelations one by one.

First, he believes that the old version of the Vision Pro will be updated later this year, equipped with the latest M5 processor, but other parameters will remain basically the same.

Second, the "Vision Air" to be launched in 2027 is the much-rumored "youth version headset" from Apple. The processor and lenses will definitely be inferior to the latest Vision Pro, but it will be lighter and the price will be controlled within 15,000 RMB.

Considering that the current Apple Vision Pro is very powerful, but its bulky form and high price have made it difficult to sell, even for Apple. It is reported that the sales volume has not exceeded 500,000.

Apple has been rumored to be exploring different forms of Vision in the past two years, hoping to further lower the threshold and expand the user market.

For quite some time, XR headsets will not be Apple's next best-selling product. Smart glasses are more suitable to take on this role.

We have previously analyzed the logic behind Apple's foray into glasses: With the technological accumulation from AirPods and iPhone, it is not difficult for Apple to create an iPhone accessory that combines a good wearing experience, stylish design, and excellent sound quality. In the future, Apple will also have time to gradually improve its performance in AI.

More straightforwardly, Apple Glasses should be the new AirPods. There's no need to think too much about future interactions like XR and AI. Just do a good job in photography and music playback, and take back the market share lost to Meta. That would be more than half the battle.

In addition, Apple is actively exploring the integration of health sensors into glasses, which is a path that neither users nor competitors have considered. Apple Watch and AirPods are no longer selling well, and their share in Apple's revenue is shrinking. Some new products are needed to revitalize the shrinking wearable business.

Glasses and Headsets: More Important New Wearable Products

The wearable business is the pillar of Apple's shipments besides the iPhone and iPad.

How long has it been since you last replaced your Apple Watch and AirPods?

The Apple Watch is updated every year, but each generation is quite similar. The update of the AirPods Pro has been delayed for three years and still hasn't come out.

As a result, Apple's wearable business revenue decreased by 7% last fiscal year, and the Apple Watch even decreased by 14%.

To address this, Apple is accelerating the research and development of new wearable products, which are expected to be launched this year or next year:

• Apple Watch SE 3: It is expected to be updated this year. The previously rumored colorful plastic case design may be shelved, and the screen will be comparable to that of the Watch S7.
• Apple Watch Ultra 3: It is expected to be updated this year. The biggest update is the satellite communication ability without the need for an iPhone.
• AirPods Pro 3: It is expected to be launched later this year or next year. It will be equipped with a new health tracking function that can detect heart rate and body temperature.
• AirPods will also get a new function: real-time translation, which is expected to be added to the iOS 26 update in the future.

According to reports, within Apple, where innovation has been scarce for a long time, a "brainstorming" approach is being used to explore new products: combining different in - house products to see the chemical reactions.

AirPods that can measure heart rate and body temperature, and smart glasses integrated with sports and health functions may be further utilization of Apple Watch technology.

For smartwatches, one of the key points in each iteration is the sensors: upgrading the existing ones and adding the missing ones.

Apple has even bolder ideas. Cameras can be added to the Apple Watch and AirPods, and health sensors can be installed on AirPods and glasses to enhance product differentiation and competitiveness, as Apple already has the relevant technology.

However, the more interesting aspect may be the new category of glasses, mainly referring to those without a display and with an appearance closer to traditional glasses.

The sunglasses market is a severely underestimated one. According to Lijin Data, the sales volume of sunglasses on Taobao and Tmall has reached 6.2 billion yuan, a year - on - year increase of 26%.

Consumers value most the outdoor capabilities for travel and outdoor sports, as well as the strong fashion attributes of glasses, which can be used as an expression of aesthetics and self - worth.

The sunglasses here refer to ordinary sunglasses without batteries or sensors. According to Guotou Securities, the global shipments of smart glasses are expected to reach 14.52 million units this year, and the global market potential is close to 300 million units.

Even as a popular product with more than half of the market share, the sales volume of the Ray - Ban Meta last year was only 2.25 million units. An important factor for its success is that this pair of smart glasses is similar to an ordinary Ray - Ban glasses in terms of price and appearance.

Just like the AirPods back then, if Apple can do a good job in the experience of smart glasses, maximize the configuration, and match the price and design of high - end brand sunglasses, this product will be Apple's next hit.

Ultimately, headsets and glasses with XR display functions are the real areas that Apple wants to break into.

In the short term, Apple is likely to pursue a dual - track strategy.

On the one hand, it will add a certain degree of display ability, such as monochrome images or pure text, to smart glasses and explore the implementation of XR capabilities in such a thin body.

On the other hand, it will further improve the integration of the "Vision" headsets, reducing the price, size, and weight.

This process may include multiple headset products with different positioning and functions. There may be a full - function but low - configuration "Air", and there will also be accessory - type products that need to be used in conjunction with a mobile phone or Mac.

Ultimately, the intersection of the two tracks will be the true XR glasses that are as light and portable as regular glasses but have the display capabilities of the Vision.

This is Apple's most important product form exploration in the past three years. Given the previous news that Tim Cook is very concerned about XR glasses, this product is likely to be the last "One More Thing" before Cook steps down.

This article is from the WeChat official account "ifanr" (ID: ifanr), author: Su Weihong. Republished by 36Kr with permission.