Apple's not just aiming at Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, it's looking way beyond them

It's no secret that smart glasses are seen as the next frontier for the technology industry. A wide array of major brands are currently plowing vast sums of money into the category, with many touting it as the next evolution of the smartphone as the daily device for most people.

That includes Apple, with the brand reportedly shifting internal resources away from the Apple Vision Pro projects it has had in the works to focus on smart glasses. Other products – like the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses – have already established a significant footing in the arena.

Still, Apple is not one to just follow the zeitgeist. Instead, a new report suggests the Californian brand could be looking far beyond the current features offered by competitors, with a view to make things more appealing to users.

That suggests that the device would run in two separate modes, which would vary depending on which device they were connected to. That's said to include a full version of visionOS when the device is connected to a MacBook, with a more lightweight, mobile-friendly version when connected to an iPhone.

It's a really interesting idea. The use of a less intensive operating system should allay some of the concerns around battery life, with the idea seeming to suggest that the glasses would be pulling from an external device.

The news comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who is widely regarded as a leading light in the world of Apple. His Power On newsletter gives us a rare insight into the world of Apple, and that's exactly where this news comes from.

With rumours that Apple's first smart glasses could be seen as soon next year, we shouldn't have too long to wait before we see what it has in store. One thing is certain, though – the brand is clearly preparing to make a seismic shift in the way these devices work.