Apple shifts strategy with smart glasses focused on fitness and health
Data privacy and fitness: Apple integrates health features into smart glasses (Photo: Pexels)
Apple is exploring the possibility of positioning its upcoming smart glasses as a fitness and health-tracking device, similar to the Apple Watch, according to an analytical report by Mark Gurman for Bloomberg.
In addition to expanding the device's functionality, the move is also intended to address the challenge of user perception.
Headsets equipped with built-in cameras often raise privacy concerns due to the risk of covert recording, whereas a clear focus on sports shifts the device's appeal in a more favorable direction.
Specialized sensors would be capable of:
- Tracking user movements,
- Analyzing physical activity,
- Feeding data into apps.
Job listings in Cupertino as a driver of change?
A direct indication of the strategic shift is the publication of new job listings by the tech giant. Apple is seeking a specialist to lead product development in health and fitness for its lineup of visual devices.
Candidates are required to have experience in creating consumer medical or sports products, along with the ability to formulate a clear product concept under high uncertainty.
Why the concept didn't work for Vision Pro
Interestingly, the company initially considered making its mixed-reality headset, Vision Pro, a fitness device. Engineers planned to use the sensor system to track body movements during workouts and display real‑time metrics like heart rate or calories burned on the screen.
However, the idea was temporarily shelved for technical reasons:
The Vision Pro headset weighs over 500 grams, placing excessive strain on the neck during intense physical activity. Full integration of fitness features was postponed until a lighter chassis could be developed.
According to expert estimates, comprehensive fitness capabilities will not appear in the first release of Apple's smart glasses, but rather in the second generation of the device.
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