“The Next Big Thing (NBT) in Emerging Apple Rumor seems to be fresh claims that Apple is developing AR glasses, and an OS to make them useful,” Jonny Evans writes for Computerworld. “What would you need these things to do to convince you to purchase them?”
“While he didn’t let any of Apple’s secrets slip, Allen Horng, the chairman of Catcher Technology, sparked off these claims when he said: ‘Based on what we have learned, [new AR products] need to look good and be light enough to wear … that makes the casings for such device very complicated to manufacture and there are still a lot of challenges to overcome currently,'” Evans writes. “This follows recent speculation claiming Horng’s company is working on the project.”
“Apple has taken a big gamble on AR, so it makes sense that these purported Apple Glasses would be able to access such experiences. That means information about where we are, games, a range of enterprise-focused apps (such as stock pickers or technical manuals), Maps and more. Activity data, Messages, emails – everything you might expect from any iOS device”, Evans writes. “All those features may require audio, so it’s not unreasonable to speculate that these solutions may use some form of bone induction speakers, such as these from Zungle. (This makes more sense to me than forcing users to wear headphones).”
Much more in the full article – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple Glasses. Smart glasses done right.
Stylish eyewear that actually delivers useful data to wearers is potentially a huge market and Apple is exactly the company to deliver just such a wearable. — MacDailyNews, January 25, 2017
Augmented Reality is going to change everything. — MacDailyNews, July 21, 2017
Someday, hopefully sooner than later, we’ll look back at holding up slabs of metal and glass to access AR as unbelievably quaint. — MacDailyNews, July 28, 2017
The impact of augmented reality cannot be overstated. It will be a paradigm shift larger than the iPhone and the half-assed clones it begat. — MacDailyNews, August 4, 2017
SEE ALSO:
Apple working on augmented reality headset running ‘rOS’ to ship as early as 2020 – November 8, 2017
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
In the Apple spirit, it should start with the basics and do that, at least, very well.
Killer App for Phone : Making calls,
Killer App for Glasses : Improving sight
Still, I don’t think they’re ready for glasses just yet.
I just want to be able to watch a movie at the gym.
Oh wait, I know… it should spot other people wearing Apple Glasses, and superimpose a big “NERD” label floating over their heads.
Optimal selection of animoji based on one’s virtual context and intended audience will be critical.
To answer the questions posed by the headline…
What possible use(s)/need(s) would the average Apple user have that such a device would be essential for any kind of everyday use?
Hey, with Apple Glasses I won’t have to look at my watch anymore! The time will always be floating, overlaid on the landscape. Think of the time I’ll save not having to raise my hand (and often, shake my watch) to make the display come on! TAKE MY MONEY NOW!
/s
Okay, I’d really buy one. Being able to discretely check messages during a meeting without making it look like I’m checking my watch to see what time it is, because the meeting is long and boring and I want to get out of there, would be useful. Turn-by-turn directions without having to take my eyes off the road *when I really want to see the map, not just listen to a voice* would also be quite useful (can’t wait until SIRI can put a flashing arrow over the off ramp I’m about to drive past…)
Whatever problem Apple intends to solve, it will be essential for any Apple Glasses to be made in such a way that prescription lenses can be retrofitted, otherwise they will be excluding a high percentage of the population.
When you have used Apple products for decades, you remember how the original Mac came with a printed manual including a large print section for people with eyesight issues and how Apple’s 1989 Macintosh Portable had a trackball which could be positioned to either side of the keyboard to cater for left or right handed users. Apple’s Accessibility Settings in IOS and Mac OS are amazingly comprehensive and allow users with a wide range of limitations to make good use of Apple’s products. I can’t imagine Apple launching Apple Glasses which would not be useable by people who already need to wear corrective glasses.
Tanks for news
What about Apple people that wear prescription glasses?
The interesting thing is that those are the people to whom this will appeal the most. There shouldn’t be a problem getting prescription lenses for this. It’s the rest of us that will be the problem.
Looking forward to giving everyone I encounter animoji faces. How can that not make us all happier people? At least for the first couple days, anyway. Then the novelty will wear off, and we’ll stop doing it, and we’ll hate everyone who laughs while we try to talk to them because they just got their Apple glasses and they’re giving us talking poop heads. And then the world will suck again. Never mind.
Go after sunglasses and outdoor use first. You can do sports (personal performance and viewing) driving, sight seeing and all the things where it’s obtrusive and sometimes dangerous to be glancing at a phone.This also tends to be the situation where no one cares if you’re taking pictures.The problem with Google glass was the awkward indoor situation when you have somebody sitting across from you who could be viewing recording video of your conversation. Or in the bathroomtaking pictures. I don’t need indoor glasses. But I would definitely consider some cool AR sunglasses
The biggest problem is to convince people who don’t need glasses, to wear them. I always wore glasses, until I had cataract surgery several years ago. Now, unless I’m reading, I don’t need them. Except for sunglasses, why would I want to start wearing them again? Then, I would need two pairs, one regular, and one sunglasses. The lenses that change color are still crap, and don’t work that well, so those are out. It will be a hard sell. There needs to be something really compelling about them. I’m a die hard Apple user, and I’m not enamored over the idea.
I agree- I don’t need indoor glasses in general, but I could see specialized AR glasses for certain types of indoor work- not something I would wear to dinner. I would buy sunglasses for sports and leisure. Maybe I will wait for the contact lenses for indoor use…
Okay, so we blind folks will want glasses why? Apple’s image recognition database is pretty poor at the moment, and I don’t see it getting any better. Devin Prater Assistive Technology Instructor in Training JAWS, Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, and Powerpoint certified by World Services for the Blind
>
Why does Allen Horng, the chairman of Catcher Technology, claim that “Apple has taken a big gamble on AR”?
Apple is certainly enabling developers and customers to explore AR on a large scale. And, if AR takes off, then Apple is positioned to ride the wave forward. But, if AR fizzles, then Apple is not necessarily going to take a big hit unless some other company discovers the “secret AR sauce” first.