TECH NEWS – Apple still insists it has smart glasses, but they will have to be a standalone product when they are released.
Apple’s AR (augmented reality) glasses were designed to be paired with an iPhone (offloading the computing load onto the phone), but that doesn’t seem to be happening. Instead, the company is focusing on developing a standalone smartglass that does not require an external device, making it more portable and easier to use (and running a modified VisionOS – something that has been reported before). This could mean a few extra years of development time, and Apple is willing to make that sacrifice because it does not want to put another failed product in front of users.
After the Apple Vision Pro, it would be a logical step for the company to move on to smart glasses, which would offer the same features as the bulky and expensive AR headset, while being less distracting to look at. Bloomberg editor Mark Gurman not only touched on the iPhone SE 4 in his Power On newsletter (it was in the news earlier in the day), but also discussed plans for smart glasses. John Ternus, the new head of Apple’s Vision Products Group, has urged caution in the development of AR glasses.
“In any case, it seems that the new head of Apple’s Vision Products Group, John Ternus, doesn’t want another flop on his hands. So he will take his time and be cautious. I’m told that Apple’s long-term goal of standalone AR glasses remains intact, and the company will continue to work on the underlying technology – such as screens and silicon – to make such a device more feasible,” Gurman wrote.
This approach is justified, as the Apple Vision Pro has sold around 500,000 units, so it can be argued that technological feats can only ensure the success of the product up to a certain point. Apple’s big hurdle right now is the hardware. It needs to keep the hardware from overheating while still providing above-average battery life. They need a chip that can at least match the performance of the A18, but at 1/10 the power consumption. TSMC, Apple’s partner, has not yet achieved such a sophisticated manufacturing process…
No wonder the technology is still a few years away.
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