Apple’s long-rumored ambitions for augmented and mixed reality are no longer just speculative—they’re materializing into a clear, multi-year strategy. According to a newly released roadmap from trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is preparing a staggered rollout of XR products that will reshape the future of wearable computing from now through 2028.
From the high-end Vision Pro headset to lightweight smart glasses designed for everyday use, the company is plotting a methodical evolution that mirrors the iPhone’s rise—starting with premium hardware and expanding toward mass-market accessibility. This roadmap offers a rare glimpse into Apple’s product pipeline and hints at how the tech giant plans to gradually replace smartphones with spatial, hands-free computing.
Why This Matters
Apple rarely reveals long-term hardware plans, yet reliable supply-chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo just mapped five distinct products that steadily shrink Apple’s mixed-reality hardware from a 600-gram headset to everyday glasses. The leak clarifies how Apple intends to transform the Vision line from an early-adopter showpiece into a mass-market wearable over the next four years.
Apple Vision Series & Smart Glasses Roadmap (2025–2028): Vision Pro (XR headset) continues from 2025; Vision Air (lighter XR headset) expected around 2027; Ray-Ban-like smart glasses around 2027; Display accessory glasses in the second half of 2028; XR smart glasses TBD (possibly after 2028).
The Vision Pro Era (2024-2026)
The Vision Pro, Apple’s flagship XR headset, is set to undergo continuous hardware refreshes. An M5-powered revision is expected in 2025, featuring a 20% lighter frame and improved micro-OLED efficiency. The visionOS ecosystem is maturing rapidly, with more than 2,000 native apps already available. Apple is actively courting AAA game engines alongside enterprise giants like SAP and Adobe to broaden use cases.
Retail demos play a crucial role in marketing, with in-store hands-on experiences reportedly converting at nearly double the rate of Apple Watch demo sessions in 2015. This underscores the headset’s experiential selling point, offering potential buyers a firsthand look at the technology.
Vision Air and First-Gen Smart Glasses (2027)
In 2027, Apple plans to introduce the Vision Air, a lighter version of the Vision Pro. This device will be 40% lighter, with fewer external cameras and a single 4K micro-OLED per eye, targeting a price under $2,000. This move positions Apple in the “advanced laptop” price tier, widening the addressable audience.
Simultaneously, Apple will launch Ray-Ban-style smart glasses with integrated speakers, dual 4K video cameras, and Siri voice + gesture control. These glasses will compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban Meta glasses but leverage Apple’s ecosystem for hands-free capture, navigation, and audio.
Display Accessory Glasses (2028)
By 2028, Apple aims to release display accessory glasses with a tethered design. These lightweight frames will wirelessly mirror iPhone, iPad, or Mac displays at up to 120 Hz, effectively acting as “your private 4K monitor you can wear on a plane.”
Power efficiency is prioritized, with off-board processing promising multiday battery life. However, this product is positioned as a productivity peripheral rather than a full AR device.
After 2028: True XR Glasses
Kuo’s chart leaves the final “XR smart glasses” without a firm date. Industry sources suggest Apple needs breakthroughs in pancake or holographic waveguide optics that can fit into ordinary lenses, sub-5 nm low-power Apple Silicon capable of ray-traced 3D at smartphone-like thermals, and all-day batteries under 10 grams. Most component suppliers predict these milestones will land early next decade.
How Apple Is Laying the Groundwork Now
Apple’s in-house GPUs in the M-series now include hardware ray-tracing, a prerequisite for photorealistic passthrough AR. The company has reportedly secured nearly 60% of global micro-OLED capacity for 2026–2027, squeezing rivals’ panel supply.
To populate the ecosystem before Vision Air lands, Apple offers “Immersive Video Kit” grants and 0% App Store commission for year-one Vision apps under $5 million in revenue.
Competitive Context
Meta Quest 4 is expected to cost under $500 in 2026, but early specs suggest only incremental optics gains. Meanwhile, the Samsung/Google XR partnership targets a Galaxy-class headset in 2026 using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR3, but lacks Apple’s vertical integration. Sony is pivoting PS VR2 toward PC compatibility, yet remains gaming-centric.
By staggering releases—premium today, lighter mid-range in 2027, peripheral glasses in 2028—Apple can iterate on components, grow the visionOS ecosystem, and educate consumers in stages. If Kuo’s timetable holds, the iPhone moment for mainstream AR likely won’t arrive until the early 2030s, but Apple is already paving the road.
Key Takeaways
- Apple Vision Pro demos are available for free booking at Apple Stores, allowing potential buyers to experience the technology before purchase.
- The device captures spatial photos and videos in 3D, creating more immersive ways to relive memorable moments.
- Vision Pro represents a significant advancement in spatial computing by seamlessly blending digital content with physical space.
Apple’s strategic roadmap for its Vision Pro and smart glasses underscores its commitment to leading the charge in augmented and mixed reality. As the company continues to innovate and refine its offerings, the future of wearable computing looks increasingly promising.
