Did Apple just lose the face computer race to Meta?

Core Insights - Apple Vision Pro, a $3,500 augmented reality headset, has not gained traction since its launch in February 2024, leading to concerns about its market viability [1][2] - Apple has reportedly halted development on a cheaper version of the headset to focus on lightweight AI smart glasses, indicating a shift in strategy [3] - Despite plans for a new version of Vision Pro with improved technology, fundamental issues such as high cost and unclear use cases remain unresolved [4] Group 1: Product Performance - The Vision Pro has not attracted developer interest, creating a cycle of low sales and reduced incentive for developers to create applications [2] - Apple executives privately acknowledge the product's shortcomings, describing it as overengineered and bulky [4] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Meta, traditionally unsuccessful in hardware, may succeed with its new $800 Ray-Ban Display glasses, which could outperform the Vision Pro in sales [5][10] - Other tech giants like Google are also entering the smart glasses market, indicating a competitive environment for face-computing devices [10] Group 3: Market Trends - Despite significant investment from major tech companies, consumer interest in wearable computing remains low, with only a couple of million units sold for Meta's older Ray-Bans [11][12] - Potential enterprise applications for smart glasses exist, but widespread consumer adoption in everyday settings has yet to materialize [13]