Apple explores how smart glasses work with ‘Atlas’ user study

Mark Gurman
| Bloomberg

Apple Inc. is exploring a move into smart glasses with an internal study of products currently on the market, setting the stage for the company to follow Meta Platforms Inc. into an increasingly popular category.

The initiative, codenamed Atlas, started last week and aims to gather feedback from Apple employees about the smart glasses, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Additional focus groups are planned in the near future, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the work is confidential. The studies are led by Apple’s product systems quality team, part of the hardware engineering division.

“Testing and developing products that everyone can come to love is very important to what we do at Apple,” the group wrote in an email to select employees at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California. “That’s why we’re looking for participants to join us in an upcoming user study with today’s smart glasses.”

When Apple is considering whether to enter a new category, it often hosts secret focus groups to understand what people like about existing products. The company typically relies on employees — rather than customers — so it can avoid publicizing its plans. A representative for Apple declined to comment.

Last month, Bloomberg News reported on another internal study: The company tested an app for people with prediabetes that tracks their blood sugar changes and diet.

The latest study suggests that Apple is moving forward with its own work on smart glasses. Bloomberg previously reported that the iPhone maker has considered entering the market — potentially challenging the Meta’s Ray-Ban unit — even though an actual product would still be years away.

The research will likely guide Apple in what features to include in its own glasses and help identify how the technology can be used.

Creating a successful face-worn device has been a challenge. Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro headset, released in February, is seen as too complicated and expensive to become a mainstream product.

For years, Apple had been trying to make a lighter augmented reality version of the device — something that could be worn all day and potentially replace the iPhone. Work on that project has stalled due to many technical challenges.

Meta, meanwhile, found success with a more stripped-down formula. Its $299 glasses, created in collaboration with Luxottica Group SpA, aren’t true AR glasses — they don’t overlay information onto the glass. But they allow users to record video, take phone calls and ask questions of an AI assistant.

Now Apple wants to create something similar. Its approach could involve making smart glasses that work like the already popular AirPods headphones. A version in the form of glasses would allow for longer battery life, sensors and improved sound technology.

But even Apple’s rivals are moving forward. In recent months, Meta and Snap Inc. have both previewed AR glasses — models that can blend the real world with digital overlays of games, text messages and apps. However, neither product will be ready for consumers for at least a few years. The current prototypes are more about getting app developers to buy into the concept.

Apple also plans to revamp the Vision Pro headset to broaden its appeal. The device is exceptional for watching videos and doing office work, but its weight, high price and limited content have made it a niche product.

The company has been working on a lower version with cheaper components. It’s even considering building a device that offloads many of the features and computing to an iPhone, making the headset more of an accessory to products consumers already own.

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Apple explores how smart glasses work with ‘Atlas’ user study

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