We’re been hearing rumors about a new Apple augmented reality headset for years, but it’s unclear when the company plans to launch this product. Although some rumors pointed to the launch in 2020, it did not happen – and now a new rumor indicates that Apple’s AR glasses are coming this year. Read on for the full lineup of Apple’s AR rumors about devices.
First rumors
The first rumors about an Apple AR device originated in 2017 when Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on its own AR headset to launch somewhere in 2020. The report states that Apple was internally testing a new headset with a System-in-Package similar to the Apple Watch Series 1 chip, which is a new “rOS” system based on iOS.
Although Bloomberg’s first report did not provide much detail on what this device would look like as an ‘AR headset’. Financial Times said in the same year that Apple was developing glasses for augmented reality that have 3D cameras and rely on the iPhone to work. That year, Apple introduced the ARKit API with iOS 11, which further enhances the augmented reality technology for iOS apps.
In early 2018, Apple began talks with companies building components for AR and VR devices, including EMagin – which manufactures OLED display components for this type of headset. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst, said Apple planned to begin mass production of its first augmented reality product between 2019 and 2020, but also warned that the schedule could change because the project had not yet been completed by then.
Specifications, design and features
In the same report, Kuo mentions that the first generation of Apple’s AR headset will be very dependent on the iPhone, just like the first generation of Apple Watch. The analyst said all “Apple Glasses” data on the iPhone will be delivered and processed, with the new device as an AR screen.
Using the iPhone to do the heavy work of Apple’s AR headset should enable the company to build a much lighter, more comfortable accessory to wear – just like regular glasses, which would not be possible if the device was not a complete, self-contained machine.
Apple ‘confirmed’ in 2019 that the company was working on a kind of AR device thanks to some internal files left in an iOS version and found by 9to5Mac. A new internal system called StarBoard is responsible for displaying and managing AR images on the iPhone and on the AR headset, confirming rumors that this device works similarly to the first Apple Watch with WatchKit applications.
iOS 13 code also revealed that the company has tested AR mode with apps like Maps, Find My and Quick Look (to explore web content on AR), as well as APIs to support games and other applications. Since then, Apple has filed patents related to a device that can ‘provide virtual 3D views of the user’s environment with virtual content’.
Bloomberg then describes Apple’s AR headset as glasses that can show text, email, maps, games and other things through holographic screens built into the lens. Last year, Mark Gurman revealed that the company has two strategies for its augmented reality devices, one the AR glasses and the other a more robust AR / VR headset.
According to the report, the headset wants to combine the best of AR and VR to offer leading gaming and content VR experiences, while the slim and light glasses will be AR only and focus on overlaying data such as map navigations on what the user view. in the real world.
Another report from The information states that Apple has made progress with the semi-transparent lenses of its AR glasses, which apparently started in trial production in July last year.
According to the information, Apple said that since 2018, Apple has been working with its largest manufacturing partner Foxconn on the semi-transparent lenses. The timing is also in line with the acquisition of Akonia Holographics – a company specializing in liquid crystal on silicone screens for photos on special lenses.
When can you expect Apple’s AR headset?
2020 is over and Apple has not announced any AR-focused devices as some rumors have predicted. Bloomberg once said that the Apple AR / VR headset will be launched in 2021 or 2022, while the “Apple Glasses” will only come in 2023 due to problems with its development and manufacture. This information was later confirmed by other sources.
This week, trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple will announce its first augmented reality device in 2021 – though he did not mention whether it is the AR / VR headset or the AR glasses. Such a device will likely be announced at the end of the year when Apple usually launches its new hardware range or at least at WWDC in June with the new “rOS” system.
The fact is that Apple has increasingly improved its ARKit API and also the cameras on its devices to provide a better augmented reality experience. The LiDAR scanner, which was introduced along with the iPad Pro 2020 and also included in the iPhone 12 Pro models, is definitely something that should fit perfectly in a new AR device.
Would you be interested in a new Apple AR device? What do you expect from this headset? Let us know in the comments below.
FTC: We use revenue to earn automatically affiliate links. More.
Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: