Apple is developing new chip for its smart glasses
What's the story
Apple is said to be working on a new chip for smart glasses, which could hit the market in the next two years.
These glasses, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, are not the highly advanced augmented reality (AR) devices Apple has been rumored to be working on.
Rather, they're aimed at competing with Meta's camera-equipped Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Chip production
Production and energy efficiency
Apple intends to begin mass production of the processor by the end of next year or in 2027.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) will take care of production, as is the case with Apple's major chips.
The processor is based on chips used in the Apple Watch, which are designed to consume less energy than those used in products like iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.
Tech advancements
Camera control and future developments
The chip is also being developed to handle multiple cameras planned for the non-AR smart glasses.
Gurman suggests these glasses would join other Apple wearables slated to get cameras in future hardware revisions.
Apple is also working on adding cameras to its AirPods and smartwatches, with chips named Nevis and Glennie under development for these products, respectively.
Future tech
Apple's mixed reality headset and silicon development
Apple's wearable division now comprises the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Vision Pro, a $3,500 mixed reality spatial computer.
Separately, Gurman also details other Apple silicon development including "M6 (Komodo) and M7 (Borneo)" chips that will succeed the M5 chip in new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro updates as early as late 2025.
An AI server chip "dubbed Baltra, is planned to be completed by 2027," according to Gurman.