Apple Reportedly Cancels Mac-Connected AR Glasses Project

Apple has canceled a project to build augmented reality (AR) glasses that would require a connection to a Mac, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

The glasses, codenamed N107, looked like regular glasses but included built-in displays. Apple had intended to launch the product in 2027, around the same time Meta is targeting the release of its augmented reality glasses.

Initially, Apple wanted the glasses to be tethered to an iPhone, but the smartphone didn't offer enough computing power, prompting the company to opt for a connection to a Mac instead. The prototypes were light enough to eliminate the need for a head strap and lacked a front-facing screen to display the wearer's eyes. Instead, Apple was developing lenses that could change their tint—a feature that could have served as a status indicator, signaling whether the wearer was busy or approachable.


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The decision to wind down work on the N107 product followed an attempt to revamp the design, according to the people. The company had initially wanted the glasses to pair with an iPhone, but it ran into problems over how much processing power the handset could provide. It also affected the iPhone's battery life. So the company shifted to an approach that required linking up with a Mac computer, which has faster processors and bigger batteries.

But the Mac-connected product performed poorly during reviews with executives, and the desired features continued to change. Members of Apple's Vision Products Group, which worked on the device, grew increasingly concerned that the project was on the rocks. Sure enough, the final word came this week that the effort was over.
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The failed project follows the abandonment of a decade-long self-driving car project last year, and its demise has reportedly affected the morale of some employees. Although Apple has not seen significant sales of its Apple Vision headset, the company is still working on successors, including an updated version of the original. Additionally, Apple has other concept products in development, such as AirPods with cameras.

The N107 device purportedly featured advanced projectors capable of displaying information, images, and video within the field of view for each eye. Despite shutting down the glasses project, Apple is still working on underlying technologies that may be used for future AR glasses, including microLED screens, and hopes to bring a viable product to market in the future.


More details can be found in the full report linked below...

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