Apple Glasses for viewing augmented reality or virtual reality won’t be out for several years, according to respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
He also suggests that the cost for these will be high.
Apple Glasses could be true company’s next big thing
If Apple really does make these AR glasses, they’d allow the wearer to do everything they do now with an iPhone, but through a heads-up display held in front of their eyes. Information would be overlaid onto the real world, not replace it. But that’s supposedly years away.
Kuo, an analyst with TF International Securities, wrote “We predict that Apple will launch the Apple Glasses in 2022 at the earliest” in a note to investors sent on Thursday and seen by Cult of Mac.
This is significantly later than he was saying just a few months ago. In October 2019, he predicted Apple’s first-gen augmented reality glasses could come to market as soon as Q2 2020.
And there’s more bad news. Kuo goes on to point out in today’s note that “the lens requires multi-layer laminations to create innovative MR/AR user experience.” That’ll raise production costs, potentially increasing the overall price of these AR glasses.
This analyst bases his predictions on information coming from sources within Apple component suppliers and manufacturers. He’s considered unusually accurate at foretelling upcoming products, though not perfect.
Laying the groundwork
Apple has never announced plans to make a headset of glasses for viewing augmented reality or virtual reality. But Apple CEO Tim Cook frequently talks up AR as one of the most exciting technologies around.
And his company appears to be preparing for Apple Glasses. The 2020 iPad Pro includes rear-facing 3D LiDAR scanners to improve the AR experience.These will supposedly be in the top-tier 2020 iPhone models too.
Looking ahead, there reportedly will be an augmented-reality viewer built into iOS 14 when it debuts next fall.
