Apple Prepares Custom Chip to Power Its Upcoming Smart Glasses: Report

Apple appears to be advancing steadily toward the launch of its much-rumoured smart glasses, with a new custom-designed chip reportedly at the core of this innovation. According to Bloomberg sources familiar with the project, Apple’s silicon engineering team is currently developing a power-efficient processor specifically designed for wearable glasses — a strong indicator that a commercial release may be drawing closer.

New Chip Tailored for Smart Glasses

The chip in development is said to be based on the low-power architecture used in the Apple Watch but is further enhanced for compactness and efficiency. Importantly, the chip is expected to support multiple onboard cameras, potentially enabling AI-powered contextual experiences like environmental scanning and real-time object recognition.

Though Apple has yet to make any official announcements, insiders suggest the company is targeting mass production of the glasses by late 2026 or 2027.

Exploring Lightweight Wearables Over Full AR

Instead of fully augmented reality (AR) displays, Apple is reportedly considering simpler non-AR smart glasses, much like Meta’s Ray-Ban Stories, which focus on voice assistants, audio playback, and camera features. Internally, the glasses are being developed under the codename “N401”, which replaces the earlier tag “N50.”

This approach mirrors Meta’s current strategy of deploying AI-integrated wearables before full-fledged AR becomes viable. Meta is also said to be working on a next-gen version with a built-in display for launch later this year and aims to release true AR glasses by 2027.

Expanding the AI Ecosystem Beyond Glasses

Apple’s ambition doesn't end with eyewear. The company is working on integrating AI-powered features into future versions of AirPods and the Apple Watch. Projects include:

• A chip codenamed “Nevis” for a camera-equipped Apple Watch

• Another chip, “Glennie”, for smart AirPods

Both could launch alongside the smart glasses, forming part of a broader AI wearable ecosystem.

Next-Gen Silicon for Macs and AI Cloud Processing

Apple is also making significant strides in other chip development efforts. New chips M6 and M7 are reportedly in the works for the Mac lineup, along with a high-end variant internally dubbed “Sotra.” The M5 chip is expected to debut later in 2025, powering the next-generation iPad Pro and MacBook Pro.

To support its Apple Intelligence platform, Apple is said to be developing server-grade AI chips under the project name “Baltra”. These would process AI tasks in the cloud and then relay the results to user devices — a move aimed at boosting performance while maintaining device battery life.

Apple latest updates 2025

As of Saturday, May 3, 2025, 12:39 PM IST here are the latest updates from Apple:

Apple Software Updates:

• Stable Releases (Mid-April 2025): Apple released iOS 18.4.1, iPadOS 18.4.1, macOS 15.4.1, tvOS 18.4.1, and visionOS 2.4.1. These updates primarily focus on performance improvements and security patches.

• Betas (Late April 2025): Apple is currently testing the next incremental updates: iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, tvOS 18.5, visionOS 2.5, and watchOS 11.5. The fourth betas for these were released recently.

• WWDC 2025 Announcement: Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will begin on June 9, 2025. The event is expected to unveil the next major versions of its operating systems: iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, visionOS 3, and tvOS 19. Rumors suggest a significant design overhaul for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, drawing inspiration from visionOS, along with enhanced AI integration for Siri and various apps under the umbrella of "Apple Intelligence".

• Security Updates for Older Systems (March 31, 2025): Apple released security updates iOS 16.7.11 and iPadOS 16.7.11 for older devices. iOS 15.8.4 and iPadOS 15.8.4 were also released with important security fixes.

• visionOS 2.4 (Late March 2025): The latest major update for Apple Vision Pro, visionOS 2.4, brought the first set of Apple Intelligence features, including Writing Tools, Genmoji, and Image Playground. It also introduced the Spatial Gallery app and enhancements to the Guest User mode.

Apple Vision Pro:

• visionOS 2.4 Release: As mentioned above, this update introduced key Apple Intelligence features and new experiences.

• Next-Generation Vision Pro: There are increasing reports and insider information suggesting Apple is actively developing a second-generation Vision Pro, potentially featuring a next-generation M5 chip. Some reports even suggest a possible release before the end of 2025, focusing on internal upgrades for improved performance.

Apple Other Notable Updates:

• Apple Intelligence: This suite of AI features is expected to be a central theme in future updates, with deeper integration across Apple's ecosystem. The initial set of these features arrived with visionOS 2.4.

• WWDC 2025: The event in June is highly anticipated for major announcements regarding Apple's software and potentially new hardware.

It's important to remember that information regarding future hardware and software beyond the immediate betas and announced events is based on rumors and leaks and hasn't been officially confirmed by Apple.

Conclusion

Apple's reported development of a power-efficient custom chip for smart glasses signals a major leap forward in its wearable technology roadmap. With mass production potentially starting by the end of 2026 or in 2027, the long-speculated smart glasses could become a reality sooner than expected.

Unlike full AR headsets, Apple is initially exploring lightweight, non-AR models with intelligent features like voice assistant integration, audio playback, and hands-free camera capabilities — an approach similar to Meta’s Ray-Ban Stories. The glasses, codenamed “N401,” are part of Apple’s broader strategy to embed artificial intelligence into everyday devices.

Upcoming innovations also include AI-powered AirPods and camera-equipped Apple Watches, driven by dedicated chips “Nevis” and “Glennie.” At the same time, Apple is building more advanced chips for Macs and AI cloud processing through projects like “Sotra” and “Baltra.” Together, these efforts suggest that Apple is laying the foundation for a connected, AI-enhanced future across its device ecosystem.