GoKawiilOver the weekend, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple Glasses likely won’t launch until late 2027. But the report also mentions Apple’s planned strategy for its glasses, and it has me way more excited for the product.
Apple Glasses will focus on winning over traditional eyewear market, per report
Smart glasses are a nascent industry that’s had some success, but it still largely unproven.
With Apple Glasses, however, it sounds like Apple has its sights set on a much bigger market.
Mark Gurman writes at Bloomberg:
The far bigger prize is traditional eyewear. Following the watch playbook, Apple is aiming for the broader glasses opportunity. The idea is to compete with products sold between roughly $200 and $500, a segment that includes EssilorLuxottica SA (Ray-Ban, Oakley, Persol, Oliver Peoples and Chanel), Safilo Group SpA (Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss) and Warby Parker Inc. […] How is Apple going to approach this enormous market? I’m told that the company believes its strong brand, industrial design and iPhone integration will lead people seeking new regular glasses to spring for an Apple pair instead.
If this is indeed Apple’s goal with glasses, I think it’s very good news for the product.
Why? Because it means Apple Glasses will need to be a great pair of normal-looking glasses first, and a tech product second.
Why Apple’s direction with glasses is more than just a marketing decision
The prospect of AI-powered smart glasses might excite a small number of tech enthusiasts. But for the vast majority of consumers, I suspect they’re more leery of such a product than interested in it.
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