Apple is reportedly aiming to launch its first Augmented Reality (AR) headset in 2022, and AR glasses in 2023. The iPhone maker’s venture into the world of virtual and augmented reality has been long rumoured by several tech experts since it is arguably the next big platform after smartphones.
According to The Information, citing internal presentations at Apple Headquarters, Apple will also reportedly start developing the software for the AR headsets and glasses in 2021, and launch the headsets by 2022.
The headset that the tech giant will launch has reportedly been codenamed as N301, and looks a lot like Facebook’s Oculus Quest — a VR gaming system. Except that N301 looks like a much thinner than Oculus Quest. Unlike the VR headsets in the market today, Apple is planning to make the glasses much slimmer, to make it more user-friendly and wearable for a longer period time. Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, and Bose already offer smart glasses that use AR at their core to offer to a range of services.
The prototype of Apple AR glasses reportedly looks like “high-priced sunglasses with thick frames,” and the company is also exploring options to feature lenses that would darken during operation.
As per the report, the device will have both AR and VR capabilities and will be able to map ones surrounding — be it furniture or people, using an external camera. It will also have a high-resolution display to blend the real and virtual objects in augmented reality, and it could also be used for video streaming, gaming and even meetings or conferences.
Earlier, it was expected that Apple would take the jump in Virtual Reality as early as 2020. But a Bloomberg report backed the claim stating that the company “delayed the launch of its AR headset”. It further added that the devices will feature a new “3D sensor system,” which is basically an advanced version of today’s facial recognition technology. This feature is also expected to be featured in iPad Pro scheduled to be launched next year.
