There are rumors about the Apple Glasses, but there is a mystery as there have been few solid leaks or rumors around a pair of augmented reality smart glasses. Apple company has not released any statement about the Apple Glasses; people can’t wait to get their hands on Apple Glasses.
However, we thought Apple Glasses would appear sooner on the scene, previously known as Apple Glass. But it seems we have to wait for another couple of years before the company releases Apple Glasses.
Apple Glasses would operate on Starboard, a proprietary operating system that would be revealed in iOS 13. The augmented reality framework displays numerous times in code and text documents, meaning Apple is probably testing activation and application. Let’s dig in and see when Apple Glasses would appear on the screen and what it has for our users.
The most recent Apple Glasses news
Is it possible that Apple Glasses will be unveiled at the March 8 Apple Event? Greg Joswiak teases that something AR-related will be released.
- Apple could be working on a custom operating system called’realityOS’ for its future AR and VR devices.
- Apple’s future AR plans have been teased by Tim Cook, who promises that the company is investing in the field. This isn’t confirmation, but it implies that Apple has plans for more AR spaces than the ones available on iOS.
- A Google augmented reality headset appears to be in the works, though it won’t be available until 2024 at the earliest.
We don’t expect Apple Glass to be available any time soon. This is the case because an Apple AR/VR headset is expected first in late 2022 or early 2023.
Following that would be the Apple Glass. Bloomberg and The Information initially reported that the device would be available in 2023, but the reports are from 2019. And a lot can happen in just a few years.
Apple Glasses vs. Apple VR and mixed reality headset
In addition to Apple Glass, Apple is working on virtual reality and mixed reality headsets, which could be less complicated and released sooner.
Prototypes show ultra-high-resolution panels and a cinematic speaker system that should enable realistic visual experiences.
Some sources say the headset resembles a slimmer, fabric-wrapped Oculus Quest, but the design isn’t final because the company is still testing to find the best fit for most head shapes.
There’s no word on the price, but we’re guessing it won’t be cheap. The Quest is $399, compared to $799 for HTC’s Vive and $3,500 for Microsoft’s HoloLens 2. According to reports, Apple’s headset will cost between $1,000 and $3,000 when released.
The Apple VR and mixed reality headset will have its own App Store with games, video streaming, and communications software. Physical remote and body tracking controls are being tested as well as Siri, Apple’s voice assistant.
In terms of a possible release date, the virtual reality headgear is expected to debut next year and be available in mid-2022.
If a teaser from Apple’s Greg Joswiak indicates, something will be unveiled at the March 8
Apple Event. But it’s unclear whether the device is Apple Glasses, the long-rumored VR/AR headgear, or something else completely.
Price of Apple Glasses
Prosser claims Apple Glasses are currently $499 plus prescription expenses. That may seem low compared to other augmented reality headsets like Microsoft’s Hololens 2.
The Hololens 2 costs $3,500, including all essential gear.
Apple Glass, on the other hand, will rely on an iPhone for processing, making it significantly less complicated than Hololens. It’ll work like the Vuzix Blade smart glasses, with a camera and Alexa.
Vuzix Blade, on the other hand, starts at $799. Apple’s starting point is substantially more affordable, costing as much as some of the company’s most expensive smartwatches.
Apple lasses have the following features: What they’re going to do in reality. According to Bloomberg, Apple AR Glasses will transmit data from your phone to your face. In addition to showing texts, emails, maps, and games, the glasses are supposed to sync with an iPhone.
Apple is reportedly considering a third-party app store akin to the Apple TV and Apple Watch.
Furthermore, according to a patent granted to Apple, Apple Glass will not require prescription lenses since the smartglasses will automatically adjust for persons with weak vision using an “optical subassembly.” On the other hand, this patent might be for a standalone smartphone-powered VR headset or a new generation of Apple smart glasses.
According to a more recent patent, Apple may also use a projection-based system that beams visuals straight into the user’s eye. This eliminates the requirement for any kind of transparent display on Apple’s part.
The beam would almost certainly be able to keep the image in focus, avoiding the problem of displays that also serve as prescription lenses. However, the frames are likely still used as standard prescription glasses for people who require them.
Features
According to the patent, this avoids many of the difficulties that users may encounter in VR and AR. Apple explains that some problems, including headaches, nausea, and eye strain, are caused by the brain’s attempt to focus on distant objects when they’re displaying less than an inch in front of the eyes. These issues can be avoided because retinal projection better replicates how the eyes take in light.
Another Apple Glass patent discusses how, similar to zoom; you might be able to change your background on the go. The patent details how a headset might do chroma-keying, which is the process of changing a solid color background with a different color.
“Format camera photos, detect the desired color range, and construct a composite with the virtual content,” the headset would say.
Moreover
According to one Apple Glass patent, the device might allow you to view areas of the world you choose to see, similar to how Google Street View works. However, this view would be projected directly onto the Apple Glass lenses. You could also use digital teleportation to travel to distant regions.
Look Around is a similar feature in the Apple Maps app, but on Apple Glass, it would be far more immersive.
According to a recent Apple patent, Apple Glass may be able to change backgrounds on the fly, similar to Zoom.
And according to one of Apple’s more bizarre patents, Apple Glass might let you see better in the dark by using depth sensors to give you a clearer view of the world around you.
Thanks to some smart rings Apple has invented, Apple Glasses may be able to follow your finger and hand movements more accurately. This eliminates the need for many (if any) additional sensors, but it may also improve the accuracy of the system.
Furthermore, the rings can recognize what a user is holding in their hands, allowing Apple Glasses to respond appropriately. If you have an Apple Pencil in your hand, the glasses will capture your actions and convert them to handwritten writing.
Another new Apple patent mentions “privacy eyewear,” which could be a type of smart glasses, possibly the Apple Glasses, and how they could be used to keep what’s displayed on an iPhone’s display secret.
The idea is that the display of an iPhone would be blurred and only seen through a pair of Apple smart glasses; see the patent illustration above for more information.
Design of Apple Glasses
In marketing materials, the latest Apple Glass prototype appears to be a pair of “unintimidating” plastic spectacles.
It has a LiDAR scanner but no other cameras for privacy reasons (although that could change.) The glasses come with a plastic charging stand.
Apple Glass’ design will undoubtedly be influenced by its iPhone accessory status. Though not as light as your Ray-Ban aviators, these glasses may be light enough to wear every day.
Apple Glass will not be available in color in the first generation. For now, you’ll have to use your old sunblock. If Apple Glass is a hit, the company may look to expand its product line. Apple Glass may also have a modular feature. The rumored mixed reality glasses may include interchangeable limbs that serve various purposes.
And Apple Glass may have Sony OLED screens for augmented reality, according to display expert
Ross Young.
Apple Glasses Specs
Apple Glass has no known specifications, but we can make educated guesses based on existing technology. It will have a 52-degree field of view and 47 PPI resolution, like the Hololens 2.
Assume Apple wants to create a true augmented reality solution, not just a 2D floating notification or map solution like Google Glass. The Apple Glasses should then connect to the iPhone via Wi-Fi.
Assume the iPhone must process all video captured by the glasses’ cameras and return 3D imagery at a high frame rate (a bare minimum of 60Hz, with a 120Hz refresh rate being optimal). In that case, it will require far more bandwidth than Bluetooth can provide.
If Apple wants to compete, we can expect a minimum of three hours of battery life. However, we can assume that people will be more forgiving — especially if Apple includes a wireless charging glasses case that can extend the device’s operational time throughout the day, similar to the Apple AirPods.
Privacy and patents with Apple Glasses
Patently has discovered a patent. Apple is looking into a few different ways that Apple Glass recording can be made evident to bystanders who don’t want to be caught on camera.
Apple is looking into the possibility of making the camera module detachable. “The modular accessory would also allow venues such as clubs and theatres to prohibit the modular accessory while permitting the HMD frame (without the attachment) into the venues,” according to the patent.
Apple also envisions employing lights to indicate when the device is recording, although, unlike the previous smart glasses, attempting to do so may result in the camera failing.
According to the patent, the camera’s lights might pulse in an encrypted pattern, with the lens collecting reflections in the recorded environment. According to the patent, if the camera cannot
recognize the pattern, the recording may be disabled. Apple recommends a third approach, in which the camera is always included but disabled unless the frames are equipped with a modular key.
RealityOS for Apple Glasses
With references to “realityOS” in App Store upload logs by eagle-eyed developers, it appears that Apple will be giving a customized operating system for a whole new device form factor.
There isn’t much information on this rumored software. But it would make sense for Apple to create a unique operating system for its VR and AR devices. We’re guessing that such an OS would have more in common with iOS than with macOS.
Wishlist for Apple Glasses: Glasses that look like glasses are what we want. We’d want some natural glasses, like the ones shown in the concepts on this page. Apple, I’m sure, wants the same thing. Nobody wants AR glasses that look like they belong on a nerd.
3D augmented reality: Some people would prefer merely a heads-up display. But complete 3D integration is where AR’s actual power lies. For Apple Glasses to be a success, any iOS AR software that presently works on the iPhone should be able to run on the wearable device.
Battery life of at least 8 hours
Assuming you’re not constantly using 3D AR apps and occasionally checking notifications and 2D apps in between, Apple should be able to get Apple Glasses to last a full workday, though this may not be possible in the initial iteration.
We’ll keep this page updated when more Apple Glasses rumors and leaks emerge. Make a note to return to this page.