Apple rumor: AirPods with cameras in 2027: smart glasses to compete with Meta Ray-Bans

Apple is reportedly set to release smart glasses with AirPods packing cameras, in a bid to compete with the runaway success of Meta and its Quest 3 headset.

In a new post on Bloomberg, analyst and insider Mark Gurman said: "Into 2027, the team is considering launching smart glasses on par with the Meta Ray-Bans, as well as AirPods with cameras. The idea is to salvage the billions of dollars spent on the Vision Pro's visual intelligence technology, which can scan the environment around a user and supply useful data".

He continued: "We'll get a taste of this with an upcoming visual intelligence feature on the iPhone 16, but the plan is to bring the Vision Pro's ability to understand its surroundings to more products".

Apple is also working on a cheaper Vision Pro headset that Gurman says will be released in 2025, with a slower chip and it'll be made with cheaper materials. We can expect more news on Apple's new smart glasses and cheaper Vision Pro headset over the next couple of months as we flow into 2025.