Kuo: Apple's AR Glasses to Launch in 2020 as iPhone Accessory
Apple's first rumored head-mounted augmented reality device could be ready by the middle of next year, according to a new report out today from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via Economic Daily News [Google Translate]).
A fanciful mockup of digital glasses via TechAcute
According to Kuo, Apple's AR glasses will be marketed as an
iPhone accessory and primarily take a display role while wirelessly offloading computing, networking, and positioning to the iPhone.
Designing the AR glasses to work as an iPhone accessory is also expected to allow Apple to keep the glasses slim and lightweight, rather than trying to pack in all the processing hardware into the one device.
Kuo believes Apple is aiming to begin mass-producing the glasses as early as the fourth quarter of this year, although he admits the timeframe could be pushed back to the second quarter of 2020.
Back in November 2017, Bloomberg reported that Apple was developing an AR headset and aimed to have it ready by 2019, although the company could ship a product in 2020. The report said the headset would run on a new custom operating system, based on iOS, and dubbed "rOS" for "reality operating system."
Apple has been exploring virtual reality and augmented reality technologies for more than 10 years based on patent filings. The company is also rumored to have a secret research unit comprising hundreds of employees working on AR and VR, exploring ways the emerging technologies could be used in future Apple products.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked up the prospect of augmented reality several times, saying he views AR as "profound" because the technology "amplifies human performance instead of isolating humans."
Related Stories
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models in holidays past, and Black Friday 2021 is no different. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro devices from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models like iPhone SE.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you...
Black Friday 2021 has kicked off, and you can now get some of the year's best deals on numerous Apple products. In this article we're providing a quick summary of all the best sales we've seen so far this season. For more on the best sales happening this week, visit our Black Friday Roundup.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Apple's long-rumored augmented reality (AR) headset project is set to bear its first fruit late next year with the launch of the first device carrying a pair of processors to support its high-end capabilities, according to a new research report from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo seen by MacRumors.
According to Kuo, the higher-end main processor is said to be similar to the M1 chip Apple...
The Apple Watch always makes a great gift around the holiday season, and for Black Friday 2021 we're tracking a few solid offers on numerous models of the Apple Watch. In this article, you'll find the best Black Friday sales on the new Apple Watch 7, but the best money-saving discounts will be found on older models like the Apple Watch Series 3 and SE.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner...
Black Friday 2021 deals are still going strong, and we're tracking the best deals across Apple's AirPods lineup. Throughout the week we've been sharing the best sales for Apple devices like iPhone, Mac, and iPad, so be sure to follow us on Twitter for all of the latest Black Friday sales
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Amazon has introduced a new record low price on the AirPods 3, available for $149.99, down from $179.00. At $29 off, this sale price beats the one that we were tracking earlier this week by about $5 and it's only available on Amazon as of writing.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which ...
Although Black Friday sales began as early as October in 2021, the shopping holiday is now officially underway and we're highlighting the best sales for each of Apple's product lines. In this article, you'll find the best Black Friday sales on iPad Pro and iPad mini.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a...
AirPods deals continue to be some of the best offers we're tracking this Black Friday, and today Amazon kicked off a notable new deal on the AirPods 2. You can get the model with the Wired Charging Case for just $99.99 right now, down from $129.00.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment,...
Top Rated Comments
It will be interesting to see what Apple does with this really really hard design challenge.
Calling it now. Because nobody has any vision, everyone under the sun is going to already call it a stupid product before it’s even announced. Then it’ll debut and people will love it, while it’ll have its haters as well saying it’s stupid and pointless. “Who is seriously gonna wear glasses all the time?”
Then it’ll get popular and really refined and everybody else’s will copy them and we will get to a point a few years from now where we can’t believe we never had ar.
Sci fi movies imagine this for years. Holographic displays and graphics and being able to manipulate objects. And we all think it’s the coolest thing ever. Think minority report. Think iron man. Think tron. Think about not even needing a tv in your house because you can put a giant display and pin it to your wall in your glasses. Think about how interactive the environment can be. Meeting people and seeing information floating over their heads about who they are and how you know them. Or shared experiences with multiple glasses.
This could be a game changer the world over if it’s played right. But all anyone can say is “who’s gonna wear glasses all the time?”