Is Apple Glass happening? Supply chain optimistic
Remember Google Glass? The concept of a digital pair of glasses may not be as dead as we thought, and as unlikely as it may seem, the design of a new product based on Google’s invention is rumored to have piqued Apple’s interest.
According to sources close to its supply chains, Apple has placed small orders of “near-eye” displays, which, as the term suggests, are digital displays designed to be seen in extremely close proximity, similarly to the displays used in VR headsets, except that the kind of display in question is capable of projecting images directly onto the wearer’s retina, by which principle, and similarly to Google Glass, the wearer will be able to see the projected image, regardless of vision impairment, so long as the wearer still retain a working retina.
Needless to say the possible applications can be many, and while it is unclear whether Apple intends to create “Apple Glass”, sources cited by Bloomberg report of talks between Apple and its suppliers, in regard to ordering near-eye displays to perform tests to potentially design AR devices.
Tim Cook has mentioned AR often enough for imagination to run wild, especially since the tech giant has invested in the acquisition of a number of companies with the required expertise and capability to allow Apple to build a commercially successful device similar to Google Glass, by 2018.
AR and VR are likely to become battleground for next generation consumer products, as Microsoft gets ready to release its own VR products, and more companies continue to focus on designing improved VR headsets and hardware, as well as devices capable of providing the necessary computing power.
The prospect of digital glasses seems however more likely than an immersive VR experience, according to comments made by Tim Cook, during an on-stage interview:"I can’t imagine everyone in here getting in an enclosed VR experience while you’re sitting in here with me, but I could imagine everyone in here in an AR experience right now,".
This view seems to be in contrast with a trend that has seen companies investing into VR a lot more than AR, most likely due to the poor reception of Google Glass, from a design and privacy standpoint.
By this token, it’s possible that Apple’s digital glasses may not feature a built-in camera, although it is defintiely too early to say.
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