Apple is one of the supreme famed brands of all time. So much so that anything that Apple releases is almost guaranteed to succeed.
Apple has some of the most devoted customer bases in recent memory. One of the biggest reasons for this popularity is because Apple chooses to be different. Some choose to differentiate themselves through customer service channels like live chat app for websites or social media channels but Apple seems to ace both customer service and product innovation to attract buyers into sticking with the brand.
Apple, following its “Think Different” philosophy, invests heavily in new technology, ideas, and innovation.
It’s been rumored that for the past ten years, Apple has been investing heavily in research and development in virtual reality and augmented reality. Apple Glass seems to be Apple’s entry into the AR glasses world.
What is Apple Glass?
Apple is set to release an AR glass shortly. Jon Prosser, the leaker of this brand-new information regarding apple and AR, says that these glasses will be called “Apple Glass.”
For people interested in AR gear, they will remember that a few years ago, Google came out with AR glasses of their own called “Google Glass.”
The Google Glass was a fresh piece of tech, but unfortunately, they didn’t get much positive press or any for that matter. Google Glass had several things that could have been improved, but we won’t get into that in this article. Let’s just hope that Apple learns from Google’s mistakes, and releases a great product.
Apple Glass Specifications:
We don’t have confirmed specifications for the Apple Glass because it’s still a while before it is released. But we can speculate on the features that we can expect from the Apple Glass.
We can only draw assumptions based on the current technology available and being worked on.
It is rumored that the Apple Glass will resemble the Hololens 2 in terms of its field of view of 52 degrees and 47 PPI resolution.
The Apple Glass is most likely to be presented as an augmented reality solution. We can expect that it will be linked to your iPhone with a dedicated connection because most of the processing will be done on the iPhone and not the Apple Glass itself.
In terms of design, Apple Glass will look like regular glasses. A LiDAR sensor will be placed on the right side of the glasses. You can expect the Apple Glass to not be as lightweight as your regular sunglasses, but that much is to be expected.
Also, there won’t be a camera. Apple takes privacy seriously. And because of all the bad press that Google Glass got because of its camera, a camera seems to be out of the question.
However, there will be a LiDAR sensor that will be used to assess gestures. So, there will be a sensor that shoots laser beams to track gestures, that’s pretty cool.
Also, unlike Google Glass, the Apple Glass will most likely display information on both lenses, giving a more immersive experience.
Apple Glass Capabilities:
In terms of capability, you shouldn’t be expecting too much from Apple Glass.
The Apple Glass is more like an accessory, something to be used in tandem with your iPhone, not as a standalone device.
In terms of battery timing, we can only speculate that Apple Glass will have a battery time of around three hours. More battery time is always appreciated. Maybe Apple will come out with a fast charger for these AR glasses.
With a LiDAR sensor, your gestures will be tracked more efficiently. Giving you more responsiveness from the Apple Glass.
You can expect the Apple Glass to convey information from your iPhone. You will probably get notified about texts, emails, other kinds of alerts.
With AR functionality, you can expect to see prompts on your Apple Glass telling you of something of interest in your vicinity.
The Price:
The Apple Glass is rumored to be priced at $499. If you’re not particularly interested in the virtual reality or augmented reality, then this price might seem a tad too much for glasses, even if they have the coveted Apple logo on them.
But if the Apple Glass is sold at $499, it’d be a pretty good deal.
Considering the other options on the market, AR/VR glasses can quickly go into thousands of dollars. Granted that these costly glasses will be proper, robust, standalone products, you’d think about spending a few thousand dollars on fancy glasses.
An added charge will also be applied for making the glasses according to prescription.
Here is why the Apple Glass will be more of an evolution than a revolution:
1. Gesture Control
Gesture control is something that we have come to expect from augmented reality gear. It’s certainly not new, and it isn’t going to be revolutionary.
The Apple Glass, as previously mentioned, will use a LiDAR sensor in place of a camera. The great thing about LiDAR sensors is that it is excellent at tracking objects. The improved tracking feature will help make Apple Glass more responsive to hand commands and gestures.
This is not the first while that Apple has used LiDAR in one of its products. The 2020 iPad Pro is shipped with a LiDAR scanner, allowing it to scan objects situated five feet away.
Will Apple Glass have improved gesture control? Most definitely. But is it going to be revolutionary? Most people would disagree.
Especially since the prototypes of any products are always riddled with flaws and shortcomings, it might even take an iteration or two before seasoned AR users notice a reasonable difference in gesture control. But that can only be confirmed once the Apple Glass is released.
2. Starboard User Interface
Starboard is the name for the Apple Glass’s user interface. Starboard is going to be Apple’s way of really diving deep into contextual computing.
Contextual computing is when a device is aware of its surroundings and collects data in real-time and processes it to output helpful/relevant results.
With the Starboard UI, you can use hand gestures and voice commands to carry out operations. You won’t require to bring your iPhone out to do the same things.
The Starboard UI is not going to be particularly revolutionary apart from the fact that it will be a much-welcomed addition to the greater Apple ecosystem. But that being said, the Starboard UI will make your life easier.
3. Improved Privacy
In the tech space, Apple is known for the fact that it makes a conscious effort to improve privacy and user security.
With Apple Glass, there won’t be a camera. It seems like Apple has learned from the shortcoming of Google Glass and how its cameras infringed on other people’s privacy.
Instead of using a camera to assess hand gestures, Apple’s AR glasses will be using a LiDAR sensor.
Removing the camera altogether from the glasses will alleviate any privacy concerns that people might have. Also, without cameras to record, the Apple Glass will not have to deal with the same kind of bad press that Google Glass had to.
Apart from no cameras, the Apple Glass will look like a regular pair of glasses for someone looking at them. That’s great because you wouldn’t necessarily want to stick out of the crowd.
If people just think that you’re wearing regular glasses, you’ll be able to continue your daily routine without intrusion. Whereas people with other glasses, especially Google Glass, were harassed in some cases just because they were wearing these glasses.
Apple Glass will give you the benefits of AR without being a nuisance for you.
4. Reliance on the iPhone
Probably the biggest advantage you can think of when using any kind of gear is that you won’t have to bring your iPhone out. With smartwatches, you can do things like answer calls and get alerts without taking out your phone.
You can expect the Apple Glass to use contextual computing to let you know of any cool places near you. You won’t have to use something like Google Maps to get direction. Your Apple Glass will help you do that and much more.
Although the Apple Glass will be connected to your iPhone for processing power, it will be more convenient than taking your phone out of your pocket for every notification or message alert.
Smartwatches and different gear have been gradually reducing the need to continually rely on your smartphone for simple tasks. AR glasses will help you be less reliant on your phone.
5. QR Code Scanning
QR codes are becoming more commonplace these days. The DeFacto method of scanning QR codes is through the camera on your smartphone.
With the Apple Glass, it’s speculated that it will be able to scan QR codes.
In the end, it is all about ease and accessibility. Scanning QR codes would be a great function, but can a feature like that be considered revolutionary?
Conclusion:
Apple fans and customers hope that the Apple Glass will be a great tech that they would love to use daily. Apple seems to be aware of the desire of its customer base for AR gear, and they won’t disappoint (hopefully).
The Apple Glass has had the good fortune of learning from the mistakes of Google Glass and other popular headsets. Will it be revolutionary, or will it be just an evolution? That’s still to be decided.
Hamzah Adil is a digital marketing executive. He is interested in technology, social media, business, entrepreneurship, among other things. He is currently working for a startup that has developed a new live chat app called SwiftChat.
