Fortunately, this won’t be the final design.
Apple put LiDAR and enhanced augmented reality (AR) on the 2020 iPad Pro. But are you really going to walk around with your iPad up all the time? You might use it for a game or two, but most likely, it’ll only aid in your photos and measurements. It could be so much more though, if in the right package.
That’s where AR glasses come in. These would be able to give you information about your surroundings, like directions, price checks, notifications, and more at a glance. Best of all, you won’t even have to look down.
A leaker who has become more prevalent during Apple’s current release cycle claims these AR glasses could be coming by the end of this year or 2021. According to him, they look incredible.
He’s even got a name for them: Apple Glass.
Here’s how they’ll work.
Apple Glass
Jon Prosser has been leaking a number of items out of Apple recently. He was accurate about the iPhone SE colors, price, and release date, and accurately predicted when the 13-inch MacBook would be released. However, he did mess up the prediction of WWDC. Still, he collects leaks from a variety of sources, and it seems he’s been in close contact with someone at Apple. Thanks to that, he’s been mostly accurate with a few small Apple leaks.
This is a big one.
Last fall, Ming Chi Kuo predicted that Apple would release the iPhone SE 2, an iPad Pro with a LiDAR sensor, and the new 13-inch MacBook Pro… along with the AR glasses that Prosser is talking about. This means Prosser’s sources are lining up with Ming Chi Kuo. We can’t be sure if someone is just copying something they heard, but Prosser seems to have a great deal of information.
The Details
Prosser’s claiming that the Apple Glass will work with your iPhone, like the first Apple Watch. You won’t be able to use these without an iPhone.The images you see on the lenses won’t show up to others, so you won’t have to worry about everyone being able to read your messages.
The glasses won’t have cameras, for privacy reasons, but it will have the LiDAR sensor, so it’ll be capable of doing augmented reality. This is part of the reason Apple put LiDAR on the iPad, to test out the feature before it hits their most prolific new item in years.
They won’t have tinted lenses at launch, as Apple apparently couldn’t work this out. However, you’ll be able to get them in your prescription, if you wear glasses normally.
The software that these run will be called “Starboard.” This seems to be a reference to “Springboard” for iOS. That’s what Apple calls the underlying user interface on iOS. Not only does it imply the stars, something that conveys science fiction, it could also be a reference to the fact that the LiDAR scanner is apparently on the right—or starboard—side of the frames. However, the interface will display on both lenses, so that could only be a reference to the sensor.
You’ll control the interface with gestures and taps or touch zones on the frame of the glasses. This will likely work similar to the way the AirPods Pro have pressure sensitive areas, and the AirPods can detect taps. Along with LiDAR tracking, which can see what you’re doing with your hands in front of the lenses, you’ll easily be able to do a lot with these glasses.
The Apple Glasses will charge much like your Apple Watch. You’ll place the frame down on a charging pad, and they’ll charge wirelessly.
Surprisingly, they’re just $499 + the price of a prescription for the lenses, putting them in Apple Watch pricing territory, as well as making them priced low enough that early adopters may be willing to risk the investment.
Apple wants to make this a “One More Thing” announcement. That is, after the announcement of the iPhone 12, they announce “One more thing,” as Steve Jobs was famous for. However, COVID guidelines could push this off until next year. Apple wants to be able to demo these to the press, and that’s not something they can do if the press can’t be present. So, if the virus is still a concern this fall, we may not see the Apple Glass announcement until next year. Since Apple’s not going to release these after they’re announced, likely waiting until Spring or Summer 2021 to open them up for preorders, Apple’s in no rush. In fact, some leakers say it won’t be out until 2022.
What’s in a Name?
I’m not so sure about the name though. Apple Glass? Like Google Glass? Feels a little derivative. Still, before the iPad, we all thought Apple was going to call their tablet the “iTab.” We were so certain that Apple was going to release the “iTab.” Obviously they didn’t. Take the name with a grain of salt.
Apple often uses different names and build numbers across teams to try to suss out leaks. Some leakers are smart about this and create their own names for items, to protect their sources. According to Prosser, Apple’s trying to figure out who his sources are, so they could still be safe, whoever they are. Leaking is dangerous, it can destroy your career, so engineers are taking a big risk by showing Jon Prosser anything, if these are actual leaks. He’s been accurate about the iPhone SE and MacBook Pro refresh, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. This is a big prediction, but much of it falls in line with estimates made by other consultants, like Ming Chi Kuo. The iPhone launch this year may be pushed back until October, so we may have to wait longer than usual to find out.
Sources:
- Luke Dormehl, Cult of Mac
- Joe Rossignol, MacRumors
- Mike Wuerthele and Malcolm Owen, AppleInsider