Source: WIRED Gear
Apple's move into consumer smart glasses directly challenges Meta's Ray-Ban dominance and Microsoft's enterprise HoloLens strategy. The timing signals confidence in the category's maturity: after Apple Watch and AirPods proved wearables could succeed through iterative refinement rather than breakthrough innovation, the company is treating smart glasses as a core product line, not a speculative bet. The market will likely split into two tiers. Apple pursues high-margin, closed-ecosystem positioning. Meta chases volume and ad-targeting upside. Traditional eyewear companies like Warby Parker and EssilorLuxottica face pressure from both sides.