From Enclosed Headsets to Everyday Glasses
After years of hype around bulky, enclosed headsets, the VR headset shift under way at Apple and Meta is unmistakable. Both companies are rebalancing their spatial computing strategies toward smart glasses technology and lightweight wearables that can be worn all day, rather than only for short sessions. Apple’s Vision Pro launched as a technical showcase, but its high price of USD 3,499 (approx. RM16,150) and limited mainstream appeal have highlighted the challenges of enclosed devices. Meta, meanwhile, is preparing its next Connect event with a clear emphasis on VR, wearables, and AI, but the most intriguing tease is a new pair of smart glasses rather than another bulky headset. Together, these moves signal a belief that the spatial computing future will be driven by discreet, socially acceptable eyewear that layers digital information onto the real world, not just immersive virtual environments.
Inside Apple’s Quiet Pivot Away from Vision Pro
Apple has dismantled its dedicated Vision Products Group, folding staff back into broader hardware and software teams and reassigning former headset lead Mike Rockwell to a combined Siri and visionOS organization. Reports indicate Rockwell now spends most of his time on Siri, reflecting a strategic tilt toward AI-driven wearables and smart glasses. Development of a cheaper "Vision Air" headset was canceled last year, and an Apple Vision Pro successor is not expected for at least two years, with no full sequel currently in active development. While Apple is still refining materials and technologies to make enclosed headsets lighter, the real investment appears to be in smart glasses technology and devices such as camera-equipped AirPods that can feed contextual data into Siri and Apple Intelligence. In the meantime, visionOS updates are expected to prioritize stability and feature parity over bold new spatial computing experiences.
Meta Connect Puts Smart Glasses in the Spotlight
Meta’s upcoming Connect event is emerging as a key moment for the XR industry, not because of a rumored high-end Quest, but due to the spotlight on new smart glasses. The company has teased an unrevealed pair of glasses, obscured in a photo shared by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, hinting at an evolution of its existing audio-only and monocular-display models. After a year of canceled projects, layoffs, and internal XR studio reshuffles, Meta is framing this shift as a necessary course correction, leaning harder into wearables that blend AI and spatial computing in more casual, everyday forms. While the company insists it remains committed to VR, its messaging around Connect emphasizes "VR, wearables, metaverse, and AI" as a unified stack. For developers and consumers, the big question is whether Meta will position smart glasses as the front door to its ecosystem, with traditional headsets taking a more specialized role.
Why Smart Glasses Look More Consumer-Friendly Than Headsets
The move toward lightweight wearables is driven by practical realities. Enclosed headsets like Apple Vision Pro deliver impressive immersion but struggle with comfort, social acceptance, and price. By contrast, smart glasses technology promises unobtrusive overlays for navigation, notifications, and contextual information that feel closer to today’s phone habits. They are easier to wear in public, more compatible with casual social interactions, and better suited to quick-use scenarios. For Apple, smart glasses can tap its existing ecosystem of iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch, while enhancing Siri with real-world context. Meta sees glasses as a natural bridge between social platforms, AI assistants, and its metaverse ambitions. In both cases, glasses can become a mass-market gateway into the spatial computing future, with fully enclosed VR and mixed-reality headsets evolving into high-end or specialist devices rather than the default consumer choice.