Apple is working on connected glasses referred to at this stage 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 at transforming promising technologies from 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.

As a result, the possibility that Apple will go on the offensive in connected glasses nourishes intense hopes that the company will manage to transform the failure of products like Google Glass into a success. Apple could even cause profound changes in the way we communicate, understand our environment, capture sound and video, consult content and perhaps even play, as a rapprochement with Valve suggests.

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

Latest news on Apple Glass

📆When will Apple Glass be unveiled?

The project is still far from being finalized. According to the latest news, Apple has fallen behind in its development. No prototype has yet been developed. Apple specialist analyst Ming Chi-Kuo estimates their release by 2022 at the earliest. For the Digitimes site, the glasses would finally be presented at the end of 2021.

💸What price for Apple Glass?

Some leaks mention a price of 499 dollars or 455 euros for glasses without prescription lenses (charged extra). If this price in dollars is confirmed, the price in euros will necessarily be higher, like the iPhone SE 2020 sold for 399 dollars on the American store and 489 euros in France. However, other rumors speak rather of a sale price around 3000 dollars, due to particularly advanced technologies such as the arrival of an 8K screen per eye.

🤔What is the real name of Apple connected glasses?

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

Nevertheless, 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 Apple Glass spec sheet?

Youtubeur John Prosser claims to have been able to test a prototype of Apple Glass. This made it possible to reveal some elements of their technical sheet. We know in particular 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.

We also know that these glasses will be impossible to use without an iPhone. Like the Apple Watch, most of the data will be processed on the smartphone. There will also be a kind of dashboard called Starboard that you can control with gestures.

There would also be no versions with sunglasses, for technical reasons – the display system chosen by Apple would not work well 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 make it possible to 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.

The site The Information explains that it also had access to a prototype dating from last year. The site generally confirms Jon Prosser's information such as the presence of LiDAR sensors. But the information is more numerous and precise. We learn for example that the device will 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. Finally, according to a recent patent, the sensors of the device would allow Apple Glass to identify spoiled food.

🕶Why Apple Glass can succeed where Google failed?

One of the first reasons that can make all the difference is that Apple 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, Apple is expected to deliver a much richer and more engaging experience. Apple has also prepared the content well in advance with ARKit (which is at version 3.5), and many content already available on iPad Pro, iPhone and other platforms.

This state of readiness is the main reason why many observers are so eagerly anticipating 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, as analyst Ming Chi Kuo has suggested. Indeed, Apple would seek to break away 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 this 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 been given the nickname Glassholes, a contraction of the insult “ass holes” which needs no 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 previewing a more mature future product. Because Apple will fail if it does not 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's a bit 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 will be easy to wear. Finally, their autonomy must be sufficient to use them continuously during the day.