Apple to release its first AR headset in 2022 followed by AR glasses in 2023: Report

tech2 News StaffNov 12, 2019 13:46:36 IST

This has been rumoured for a long time and now we finally have some timeline to go with it as well.

Apple is expected to be releasing its first AR headset in 2022 which will be followed by the release of AR glasses by 2023 according to a report in The Information (paywall). 

The report states that Apple executives shared these details at an internal meeting in October, where Apple's product roadmap was revealed. It mentioned two augmented reality devices. This meeting was led by Apple's VP Mike Rockwell who is responsible for Apple's AR and VR initiatives.

Earlier this year, we had come across a report by Ming-Chi Kuo who said that Apple's AR glasses would be coming by 2020.  Kuo had then stated that the AR glasses by Apple would be out in the market as accessories for the iPhone and mainly play the role of the display while being connected to the iPhone wirelessly. All the processing might be carried out on the iPhone itself. The latest report from The Information has pushed this date forward by a couple of years, citing difficulties in the development of the technology behind the AR headsets and AR glasses.

Apple logo.

According to the report, Apple's AR headset is codenamed N301 and looks like a slim version of the Oculus Quest VR headset. The alleged Apple AR headset comes with AR and VR capabilities. The onboard cameras map the area surrounding the user and there will be high-resolution on the headset to show information overlaid on real-world or blend the virtual objects in a real-world setup. Developers will be contacted by Apple on this in 2021.

The Apple AR glasses, on the other hand, would be a lot lighter and expected for long-term usage. According to The Information report, the prototypes under test looks like any high-end sunglasses with thick frames which will hide the batteries and other electronic components. Apple is also said to be working with lenses which turn dark when in operation to hint to the observers that the user is busy.

These AR devices expected to come out of Apple's research labs will use the new 3D sensor system which is an advanced version of the Face ID camera.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has always spoken highly of augmented reality. The Apple iPhones and iPads have dedicated AR supported apps, an ecosystem which is growing year on year.

"I regard it as a big idea like the smartphone. The smartphone is for everyone, we don't have to think the iPhone is about a certain demographic, or country or vertical market: it's for everyone. I think AR is that big, it's huge," Cook said in 2017.

Considering the slowdown in the sales of iPhones, Apple is already starting to pivot to services. A product such as