Apple will release its first AR headset in 2022, followed by a smaller device such as AR glasses in 2023, claims a new report from The Information.
The publication draws its timeline from a reported internal presentation made at Apple’s HQ.
It also describes the device itself, codenamed N301, which The Information says will look like a streamlined version of Oculus Quest gaming headset. Apple’s device supposedly will offer both AR and VR, and boast a high-resolution display and external cameras for mapping surroundings. Apple told employees the company will get in touch with third-party developers starting in 2021.
Meanwhile, the current prototype for the more slimline 2023 AR glasses resemble “high-priced sunglasses with thick frames that house the battery and chips,” according to The Information. Apple could use lenses that get darker when they are in operation.
The Information (paywall) says Apple has high hopes for the devices. Senior managers at Apple reportedly think the AR technology could overtake the iPhone in about a decade.
Apple AR headsets: Coming in 2022 … or before?
It’s no secret that Apple is interested in the possibilities posed by augmented reality. CEO Tim Cook frequently talks up AR as one of the most exciting technologies around today. The question is when Apple will deliver its first dedicated AR hardware.
Recently, renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities predicted a different timeline for the launch of Apple’s headset. Kuo suggested Apple’s first-gen augmented reality glasses could come to market as soon as Q2 2020.
Bloomberg was the first media outlet to reveal Apple’s AR hardware plans, which it did in late 2017. It originally suggested this device could be unveiled in 2019. However, unless something changes in the next month, Apple seems to have pushed that deadline back to perfect the hardware.
Are you excited about the possibility of an Apple AR headset? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
