Apple Pushes Ahead as Meta Shifts Strategy for Smart Glasses

Meta has canceled its next Quest VR headset plans to focus on building lightweight AR glasses, putting it in direct competition with Apple.

According to reports, Meta dropped two Quest 4 models, known internally as Pismo Low and Pismo High, to speed up work on a new headset project called Puffin.

This new device will be light, resemble bulky glasses, and use a separate “compute puck” for power. Meta hopes to release it by late 2026.

This move comes just as Apple is rumored to be working on its own Apple Glasses, expected around the end of 2026 or earlier. Apple CEO Tim Cook is said to be highly focused on launching these glasses ahead of Meta’s version.

So far, Meta has launched Ray-Ban smart glasses, but they don’t include AR features. Apple, meanwhile, is using its Vision Pro headset as a step toward more advanced, everyday smart glasses that may rely on the iPhone.

The competition between Apple and Meta is now heating up, with both companies racing to lead the future of AR eyewear.