Apple's future products could include affordable smart glasses and IoT devices

Rumor mill: It seems that Apple has some interesting home automation and wearable products launching in the next few years, including a pair of lightweight and affordable smart glasses that could debut in 2027. Cupertino is also rumored to be creating a new homeOS platform, based on tvOS, to power its upcoming IoT devices, which include a smart display and a high-end digital tabletop.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman writes that Apple is doubling down on its smart home efforts by moving some members of its ill-fated EV division to a new Home Ecosystem team to ramp up its smart home portfolio, helping the company compete against the likes of Amazon and Meta.

As part of its plans, Apple is reportedly working on an affordable smart display with an "iPad-like screen" that could stream content via Apple TV+. It would also offer FaceTime and web browsing, and enable access to apps like Calendar and Notes.

Another product in the pipeline is a smart "tabletop," meant for high-end videoconferencing and media playback. It will focus on home security monitoring, and will use AI "to sense who is looking at the screen, what people are doing, and who is speaking." The device is expected to be priced around $1,000.

In addition to the smart home automation products, Apple is said to be working on multiple smart glasses and VR headsets for release in the next few years. For starters, the company is prepping a pair of smart glasses that could launch in 2027. It is designed to be lightweight and affordable, and will likely be positioned as a direct competitor to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses.

Another notable product that Apple's Vision Products Group is working on is a cheaper version of the Vision Pro. According to Gurman, this particular device would retail for around $2,000 and will likely hit store shelves early next year. Apple is expecting to sell twice as many units of this device as the Vision Pro, which was a rare failure for Apple, thanks largely to its $3,500 price tag.

Elsewhere, Apple is working on the second-generation Vision Pro, which is expected to hit the market sometime in 2026. However, there's no specific information on whether Apple is considering a reduced price-tag this time around or if it will still be priced at a premium, which could once again limit its appeal among mainstream consumers.

Finally, it's claimed that Apple is developing a pair of AirPods with built-in cameras. According to Gurman, the images and videos captured by the cameras will be processed using AI to "assist people in their daily routines." There's no word on when this will release and how much it will cost.