Apple explores smart glasses, following Meta’s lead

The initiative, code-named Atlas, got under way last week and involves gathering feedback from Apple employees on smart glasses, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Additional focus groups are planned for the near future, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the work is secret. The studies are being led by Apple’s Product Systems Quality team, part of the hardware engineering division.

“Testing and developing products that all can come to love is very important to what we do at Apple,” the group wrote in an email to select employees at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California. “This is why we are looking for participants to join us in an upcoming user study with current-market smart glasses.”

When Apple is considering whether to enter a new category, it often hosts secret focus groups to understand what people like about existing products. The company typically relies on employees – rather than customers – so it can avoid making its plans public. A representative for Apple declined to comment.

Last month, Bloomberg News reported on another internal study: The company tested an app for people with pre-diabetes that tracks their blood-sugar changes and diet.

The latest study suggests that Apple is moving forward with its own work on smart glasses. Bloomberg previously reported that the iPhone maker has been considering a foray into the market – potentially challenging Meta’s Ray-Ban device – though an actual product would still be years away.