Apple is developing two new pairs of smart glasses, with a report from earlier this year suggesting the company is preparing a model to compete with the popular Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, alongside a more advanced version with built-in displays. While leaks suggest the Meta rival could launch as early as this year, a fresh report indicates the AR model may not arrive until 2028.
According to market research firm Omdia (via ETNews), Apple is expected to release its AR glasses in 2028. The announcement will likely come months after Meta unveils its own advanced AR glasses featuring built-in displays. Both companies are reportedly planning to use OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon) display technology on their glasses.
OLEDoS is a display technology designed for compact devices such as smart glasses. Unlike traditional OLED panels used in smartphones and TVs, OLEDoS places the light-emitting layer directly onto a silicon wafer, allowing for much higher pixel density in a much smaller form factor. That higher pixel density is critical for AR applications, where displays sit close to the eyes and need to deliver sharp visuals.
More brands are betting big on OLEDoS for wearables
At CES earlier this year, Samsung showcased a wearable concept featuring its 1.4-inch RGB OLEDoS displays with a reported pixel density of 5,000 PPI, highlighting the level of resolution the technology can achieve. While Apple’s AR glasses may still be years away, Omdia says other brands could bring OLEDoS-equipped devices to market sooner.
Meta is reportedly preparing its next-gen lightweight MR glasses for launch this year, which could feature 0.9-inch dual OLEDoS panels. Meanwhile, Asus and RayNeo are also expected to introduce new AR glasses using OLEDoS displays. Asus’ ROG XREAL R1 is tipped to feature 0.55-inch dual OLEDoS panels with a 240Hz refresh rate, while RayNeo’s offering is said to use 0.6-inch dual OLEDoS displays.