Apple Glass: release date, price, technical sheet, all you need to know

Apple is working on connected glasses referred to at this point by their informal name “Apple Glass”. The accessory seems to be the culmination of a sustained offensive by Apple in virtual and augmented reality. We review the information available.

As we know, Apple excels when it comes to transforming the promising technologies of competitors into successful innovations that are real hits in terms of sales. This was the case with smartphones, which took off slowly before the arrival of the iPhone, or mp3 audio players before the arrival of the iPod, among other examples.

Suddenly, the possibility that Apple goes on the offensive in connected glasses nourishes intense hopes that the firm will manage to transform the failure of products like Google Glass into a success. Apple might even bring about profound changes in the way we communicate, understand our environment, capture sound and video, consult content and perhaps even play, as a merger with Valve suggests.

And all this while respecting the privacy of those you meet while wearing these glasses. Apple has already demonstrated its investment in augmented reality with technologies like ARKit. Ultimately, Apple thus seems to be one of the players best placed to succeed.

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📆 When will the Apple Glass be unveiled?

It may well be that Apple unveils its glasses during a keynote in 2022, or even early 2023. We could have a first glimpse at WWDC in June 2022. Ahead of a hypothetical presentation, Apple presented the helmet to its board of directors. Note that the market release could come months after the presentation.

💸What price for Apple Glass?

At the latest news, the helmet would cost around 2000 dollars. Of course, nothing is official and this information must be taken with the necessary tweezers.

🤔 What is the real name of Apple connected glasses?

At this point many media, including ourselves, have been referring to future smart glasses from Apple for some time as Apple Glass. This layer of the Google Glass name makes it easier to identify the product in theno official name. It also seems to be taken up internally by Apple employees.

However nothing says that these glasses will actually be called like that when they are launched. The history of the Apple Watch, for example (referred to as iWatch), shows that names are difficult to anticipate before release. Especially since in addition to the surprise effect, manufacturers must deal with legal considerations (including ensuring that the name can actually become a registered trademark).

⚙️What will be the technical sheet of Apple Glass?

It is rumored that they have a LiDAR scanner to precisely measure distances. For now, the LiDAR sensor would be located on the right corner of the mount. There would also be no versions with sunglasses, for technical reasons – the display system chosen by Apple would work poorly with this type of lens. A new system of proprietary QR Codes would also make it easy to enter virtual or augmented reality experiences.

Finally, the mysterious screen technology used by Apple would resemble True Tone technology, and would modulate the opacity and color of the glasses according to the ambient light. These glasses would be sophisticated enough to be able to change color and opacity locally, for example behind a menu if necessary.

Some patents even describe a method for dynamically correcting vision problems without going to the optician. One thing is certain, according to the most serious report at this point, the Apple Glasses will stand out for their lightness and autonomy. To reduce energy consumption, Apple would opt for Micro LED screens and an M1 chip of its own.

The device would carry a dozen video sensors in addition to its LiDAR sensors. Apple would have opted for an 8K 120 Hz screen for each eye. The operation would be a little different from the other solutions already present on the market, since they could be able to project the screen directly on your retina.

🕶Why Apple Glass can succeed where Google failed?

One of the first reasons that can make all the difference is thatApple takes its time. Rumors around these glasses have been coming back regularly for several years. A time during which Apple has invested heavily in several components of its future virtual/augmented reality ecosystem.

The product itself seems, from what we know, to be placed in the category of HoloLens-style mixed reality headsets, with the ability to switch to a mode closer to VR by opacifying the glasses. Screen technology also seems to have made Apple engineers think a lot. The device would nevertheless be on the whole closer to the use of a classic VR headset than real augmented reality glasses.

Where Google Glass projects information onto a corner of the right glass with low resolution, we expect from Apple a product that delivers a much richer and more striking experience. Apple has also prepared the content well in advance with ARKit. This state of readiness is the main reason why many observers are so eagerly awaiting the Apple product. This is also why two years ago, we were already saying that Apple is number 3 in the smartglasses market despite the absence of a product on the market.

Within 10 years, Apple Glass could completely replace the iPhone. Indeed, Apple would seek to detach itself from the iPhone by allowing its revolutionary glasses to operate independently with a wide range of applications. According to initial estimates, Apple should sell at least one billion devices compatible with virtual reality in 10 years.

👓What are the most anticipated Apple Glass features?

First, Apple Glass must not fall into the same pitfalls as Google Glass. First on the sensors: we hope that any video or sound recording will be visible, so that these glasses do not become a sort of mass spy tool with the dangers that entails, especially for privacy . However, they should indirectly help to enhance privacy by preventing curious people from looking at your iPhone screen.

In the United States the wearers of Google Glass had received the sobriquet Glassholes contraction of the insult “ass holes” which goes without translation and Glass to designate the glasses. The other expected feature are innovative screens that deliver a truly rich AR/VR experience.

Instead of just giving a preview of a more mature future product. Because Apple will fail if it doesn’t take everyone by surprise. The firm must absolutely show a proprietary technology inaccessible to its competitors in the immediate future, which it knows how to do. As with Face ID recognition, for example, which very few competitors have managed to imitate.

We also hope, even if it is a little contradictory with the fact that the video or audio socket must be visible from the outside, that they will have a light, discreet and trendy design, that they are easy to wear. Finally, their autonomy must be sufficient to use them continuously during the day.