Apple Glass: release date, price, technical sheet, all you need to know

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 take stock of the information available.

As we know, Apple excels when it comes to transforming the promising technologies of competitors into successful innovations that are really successful in terms of sales. This was the case with smartphones, whose takeoff was sluggish before the arrival of the iPhone, or mp3 players before the arrival of the iPod, among other examples.

Suddenly, the possibility that Apple goes on the offensive in connected glasses feeds intense hopes that the company will succeed in turning the failure of products like Google Glass into a success. Apple might even bring about profound changes in the way we communicate, understand our environment, capture sound and video, consult content and maybe even play, as suggested by a merger with Valve.

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

Latest news on Apple Glass

📆When will the Apple Glass be unveiled?

The project is still far from being finalized. The latest news is that Apple is lagging behind in its development. No prototype has yet been developed. Apple 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 evoke a price of 499 dollars or 455 euros for glasses without prescription lenses (invoiced in addition). 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 noises from the corridors rather speak of a selling 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 smart glasses?

At this point many media, of which we are a part, have been referring for some time to future connected glasses from Apple by the term Apple Glass. This layer of the name Google Glass makes it possible to identify the product more immediately byno official name. It also seems to be taken up internally by Apple employees.

However nothing says these glasses will actually be called that when they launch. The history of the Apple Watch for example (referred to as the iWatch), shows that the names are difficult to anticipate before the release. Especially since in addition to the element of surprise, manufacturers must deal with legal considerations (in particular ensuring that the name can effectively become a registered trademark).

⚙️What will be the technical sheet of Apple Glass?

Youtubeur John Prosser claims to have been able to test a prototype of Apple Glass. What allowed to unveil 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 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 work poorly 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 employed by Apple would resemble True Tone technology, and would allow the opacity and color of the glasses to be modulated 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 to dynamically correct vision problems without going to the optician. One thing is certain, according to the most serious report at this point, the Apple Glass will stand out for their lightness and autonomy.

The Information site explains that it also had access to a prototype dating from last year. The site generally confirms Jon Prosser’s information 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 other solutions already on the market, since they might be able to project the screen directly onto your retina. Finally, according to a recent patent, the device’s sensors would allow Apple Glass to identify spoiled food.

🕶Why can Apple Glass succeed where Google failed?

One of the first reasons that can make all the difference is thatApple takes its time. Rumors around these glasses have been coming back regularly for several years. A time during which Apple 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 mixed reality headsets HoloLens style, with all the same the ability to switch to a mode closer to VR by opacifying the glasses. Screen technology also seems to have given Apple engineers a lot of thought. The device would nevertheless be on the whole closer to using 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 produce a product that delivers a much richer and more gripping 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 many observers are so impatient with 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 lack of a product on the market.

Within 10 years, Apple Glass could completely replace iPhones, as analyst Ming Chi Kuo suggested. Indeed, Apple would seek to detach itself 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 a billion devices compatible with virtual reality in 10 years.

👓What are the most anticipated Apple Glass features?

First of all, 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 kind of mass spy tool with the dangers that this implies, especially for privacy. . They should nevertheless indirectly help strengthen privacy by preventing the curious from looking at your iPhone screen.

In the United States, the carriers of Google Glass had received the nickname Glassholes contraction of the insult “ass holes” which goes without translation and Glass to designate the glasses. The other expected functionality is innovative screens that deliver a truly rich AR / VR experience.

Instead of just giving a glimpse of a more successful future product. Because Apple will fail if it doesn’t catch everyone by surprise. The firm must absolutely show a proprietary technology inaccessible to its competitors immediately, which it knows how to do. As with Face ID recognition for example, which very few competitors have managed to emulate.

We also hope, even if it is a little 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 are easy to wear. Finally, their autonomy must be sufficient to use them continuously during the day.