Apple to Develop Chip for Smart Glasses

Apple's chip design team is actively developing next-generation processors set to become the core of future innovations, including Apple's first smart glasses, more powerful Mac computers, and advanced AI server systems.

According to individuals familiar with the matter, Apple has made significant progress on a custom chip designed specifically for its upcoming smart glasses. This development signals the company's increased efforts to compete with Meta Platforms' Ray-Ban smart eyewear.

Since transitioning from Intel processors to its in-house Mac chips in 2020, Apple's chip design unit has become a driving force behind the company's hardware innovation. Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the team is also working on processors for next-generation Mac devices and a dedicated AI server chip designed to support the Apple Intelligence platform.

Apple declined to comment on the developments.

The smart glasses chip is based on the architecture used in Apple Watch processors, offering significantly lower power consumption compared to components found in iPhone, iPad, and Mac products. Mass production of this chip is expected to begin in late 2026 or 2027, suggesting that Apple's smart glasses could launch within the next two years if the development timeline stays on track. Like other major Apple chips, TSMC will handle production.

In parallel, Apple is engineering its first AI server processor—purpose-built to handle Apple Intelligence requests remotely and return results to user devices. This workload is currently managed by high-performance Mac chips such as the M2 Ultra. According to The Information, the new AI server project, internally codenamed "Baltra," involves components co-developed with Broadcom and is targeted for completion by 2027.