It has been rumoured that Apple is developing smart glasses, which could come with holograms capable of projecting 3D objects in a virtual environment. This technology would be used to make the virtual objects seem more natural. Apple has been reportedly working on virtual reality, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality for years, their rivals, including Google, Microsoft, Samsung and Facebook, have all released similar products. But Apple has kept it under wraps, only bundling AR and VR features into the iPhone so far, not releasing details in regards to Apple smart glasses.
According to an AppleInsider report, the Cupertino-based giant has filed another new patent for its upcoming “Apple Glass.” In the patent, it is clear that the company is looking into a 3D way of displaying information to the wearer along with realistic audio effects, the rumoured Apple smart glasses may soon become a reality. While the brand has filed for various patents over the last couple of months, the latest one places an emphasis on improving the 3D experience offered by the device.
As per the patent, the company aims to make the user feel “as if they were physically in that environment” through the use of a “scene camera” created by UK-based inventors Richard J. Topliss and Michael David Simmonds. The patent further states that the “virtual reality systems may display stereoscopic scenes to users in order to create an illusion of depth, and a computer may adjust the scene content in real-time to provide the illusion of the user moving within the scene”.
It further adds that “when the user views images through a virtual reality system, the user may thus feel as if they are moving within the scenes from a first-person point of view”. The apple smart glasses capture the real world as seen by the user and then present information based on the scene being observed in the real world. So when the user moves, the scene camera also changes to better adapt to its 3D environment. Moreover, a large part of the patent is also based on solving potential issues caused by having projectors and other devices mounted at the side of the glasses.
Apple has been pursuing an interest in augmented reality (AR) for years, making it a centrepiece of just about every recent iPhone and iPad launch and it could be there again when the iPhone 13 arrives. It’s long been thought that some kind of AR glasses would be Apple’s planned endgame for this tech, a new report confirms this – but says that an awesome-sounding 8K VR headset would be a key first step.
The report is from Ming-Chi Kuo, and was seen by MacRumors. In it, Kuo says that the company is currently planning to launch apple smart glasses in 2025, the launch of a VR/mixed reality (MR) headset with an incredible 8K OLED screen is expected in 2022.
We predict that Apple’s MR/AR product roadmap includes three phases, said Kuo, as revealed by MacRumors. The first phase, a helmet type device by 2022, a glasses version by 2025, and contact lens type technology by 2030 to 2040. We guess that the helmet product will provide AR and VR experiences, while glasses and contact lens types of products are more likely to focus on AR applications.
Several prototypes for the first mixed reality helmet have already been created, Kuo says.
The idea of the MR headset is that it can function as a VR headset, but more than a dozen cameras on the outside can also pass through a realistic 3D view of what’s around you even when the visor is obscuring your vision. Of course, the processor in the visor can be analysing what it’s looking at and adding extra information to overlay on it – that’s the ‘mixed reality’ part.
Apple is reportedly planning 8K ‘micro-OLED’ displays in this headset, with the ultra high-resolution screens meaning that it won’t feel so much like you’re looking at a display; at least it will as long as the cameras are equally sharp. The cameras will also track hand movements, according to the report, which could mean you can interact with the overlaid information. There could also be an AR-enhancing LiDAR scanner on there too, just like with the iPhone 12 Pro and iPad Pro (2020).
This approach to mixed reality is by no means fanciful – the Oculus Quest 2 actually already does something similar. A few cameras on the outside can create a basic view of what’s around you, which is mostly used to help you locate the controllers, or to draw a safe area for movement in your room. It looks very basic on that device, but it absolutely works.
The plans sound a lot like the Oculus Quest in many regards – the report says that Apple’s aim is to have processing and everything on board, so that the device is “portable”, however Kuo says that it won’t be “mobile” in the way that an iPhone is, so no 4G or 5G connection may be required for pulling in data.
Ku says that while current prototypes for the VR headset are 200-300 grams, Apple hopes to have its total weight down to just 100-200 grams. Given that the Oculus Quest 2 is 500 grams, either weight would be much lower and more comfortable to wear.
The headset is expected to feature a Sony Micro OLED screen, and will offer both VR and AR visuals.
That means it can replace your view with computer-generated images, or “augment” the world around you while maintaining visibility.
All of these advancements come at a price, though: Kuo says the devices should be expected to cost around $1,000. This would make it a very niche product, no doubt, aimed more at pro applications and perhaps as a developer preview of the smart glasses that may be Apple’s long game plan.
Kuo says that Apple is aiming for a 2025 release at the earliest for the Apple smart glasses, which would surely aim to take some of the mixed-reality concepts from the larger headset. However, Kuo also says that there are no current prototypes of the glasses, which means any estimate is optimistic.
Kuo has a good reputation for Apple info, particularly when it comes to features, but can be weaker on predicting timelines. Based on this report, a VR platform could be launched at WWDC 2022.