The AR Glasses Race: Meta Ray-Ban at $299 vs Apple Vision Pro at $3,499 — Who Wins the Next Computing Platform?

While smartphones remain the “Central Hub of AI” for initial mass adoption, AR glasses are emerging as the next interface paradigm.

The Wearable Computing Evolution:

Smartphones → Smartwatches → Smart Glasses → AR/VR Headsets → Neural Interfaces → Ambient Intelligence

The 2025-2026 Smart Glasses Race:

• Meta Ray-Ban — $299, 2M+ sold, AI assistant built-in, mass market play
• Apple Vision Pro — $3,499, 500K sold, spatial computing pioneer
• Snap Spectacles — $99/mo subscription, 45° FOV, developer focus
• Coming 2026 — Apple “Atlas” lightweight glasses, Meta Orion

Why AR Glasses Are the “Transitional” Form Factor:

• Socially Acceptable — Look like normal glasses
• AI Makes It Useful — Always-on assistant
• Training Wheels for AR — Prepares users for full AR/VR

“Smart glasses are the smartphone of 2007 — early, imperfect, but inevitable. The company that wins glasses wins the next computing platform.”

This is part of a comprehensive analysis of 20+ AI business trends for 2026. Read the full analysis on The Business Engineer.