Apple is developing its own wearable device that would combine an augmented reality display with a standard set of eyeglasses, similar to Google Glass. The wearable is reportedly in works and not set to hit the market before 2018. According to Bloomberg, Apple is still exploring the smart glasses market and its unfinished product is basically an effort to move towards high-bet AR market.
Apple has been preparing a team focused on AR efforts and its CEO has been highly vocal about company's ambitious plans to bringing augmented reality to iPhone. Apple's App Store has already pioneered augmented reality apps market with select titles from the likes of Disney. This is the first time we are hearing about company's venture into AR hardware space.
Apple has already selected potential suppliers for its glasses project and has even ordered small quantities of near-eye displays from one supplier, reports Bloomberg. At this stage, Apple is not targeting mass-production but simply testing the concept on an AR glasses and Apple is known to pause or cancel projects altogether.
Apple is still looking for a profit making device in its post-iPhone era. with iPhone sales declining and little innovation on the platform front, Apple has been beefing up its arsenal in the AR space. Apple bought PrimeSense, the company behind Microsoft's revolutionary Kinect motion-sensing technology in 2013. The Cupertino-based technology giant followed up with purchases of Metaio Inc and Fyby Media Inc, in 2015 and 2016, giving it access to AR software.
“AR can be really great, and we have been and continue to invest a lot in this,” Cook said in a July 26 conference call with analysts. “We are high on AR for the long run. We think there are great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity.”
Google and Microsoft are the two major tech names betting big on augmented reality technology. Microsoft has already delivered a head mounted AR glasses with its HoloLens while Google is reportedly putting money on the mystery startup Magic Leap. The Bloomberg report suggests Apple exploring a product similar to Google Glass. Google Glass was a radical new device but it failed owing to privacy concerns. Google stopped developing the product in early 2015.
AR and VR are really the glooming tech vertical with Google announcing its own platform called Daydream and Samsung already offering mobile VR solution based on Oculus VR. Apple is however leaning towards AR which has its own challenges but can be as revolutionary as touchscreen are to smartphones.