Apple may be exploring push into smart glasses with new ‘Atlas’ project

Apple is reported to be looking into the smart glasses market, as a new initiative named ‘Project Atlas’ is said to have gotten underway last week.

This follows reports from tech analysts at Techloy just a few weeks ago who said the iPhone maker could be working on four new AR and mixed-reality products, as well as a new attempt at smart glasses.

Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests a new internal study has been launched which involves gathering feedback from Apple employees on smart glasses.

According to the report, focus groups are planned for the near future with the study led by Apple’s Product Systems Quality team which is part of the hardware engineering division.

The group is said to have written an email to select employees at its headquarters in Cupertino, writing: “Testing and developing products that all can come to love is very important to what we do at Apple.

“This is why we are looking for participants to join us in an upcoming user study with current market smart glasses.”

Bloomberg has previously reported the company has been considering a move into the market, with this being the latest update on the matter.

Previously, the company released its Vision Pro headset which is bulky and costly with a hefty $3,500 price tag. If the reports are accurate, a more streamlined and everyday version of AR glasses could be in the plans.

This news comes two months after Meta debuted its augmented reality glasses ‘Orion’. While these aren’t yet ready for production, the company pulled back the curtain for the first time and showed the product prototype.

The company dubbed them “the most advanced pair of AR glasses ever made,” and they are very sleek in design with them being just slightly thicker than normal glasses.

The hope is that these will bridge “the physical and virtual worlds, putting people at the center so they can be more present, connected and empowered in the world.”

If Apple does continue with suggested plans, the two technology giants could be facing off in the AR glasses market.

Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram

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