Augmented reality (AR) technology has made steady advancements in recent years, showing its potential to revolutionize everything from gaming and entertainment to manufacturing and healthcare. Major tech players like Apple are investing heavily in AR, especially solutions that integrate seamlessly into daily life.
That‘s where the excitement around Apple‘s rumored AR smart glasses comes in. As early as 2025, Apple may release smart glasses capable of overlaying digital content onto our view of reality. While still unconfirmed, Apple‘s vast resources and strategic vision make its AR glasses a pivotal product to watch in blending physical and virtual worlds.
Let‘s dive deeper into the possibilities and potential of Apple‘s AR glasses.
The AR Landscape and Apple‘s Early Moves
Tim Cook has repeatedly expressed Apple‘s profound interest in augmented reality, calling it "critically important." Their early efforts around AR software and devices prime them to be a leader in advanced AR hardware like smart glasses.
Back in 2017, Apple launched ARKit to enable iOS developers to build AR functionality into their apps. More recently, ARKit 3 brought people occlusion and motion capture for more seamless shared experiences. These tools exemplify Apple‘s push towards persistent, all-encompassing AR environments compared to more gimmicky applications other companies produced early on.
On the hardware front, Apple‘s significantly improved depth sensing capabilities in later iPhone models hint at preparations for seriously capable AR glasses seamlessly meshed with objects and movement in the real world. The LiDAR scanner introduced on iPad Pros in 2020 represents another milestone in scanning physical spaces for digital augmentation.
So while Apple has yet to even acknowledge they‘re building AR glasses, all signs point to active development driven by Tim Cook‘s strategic vision for dominating the space.
| Product | Release Year | AR Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| ARKit | 2017 | Enable iOS apps to use camera/motion features for AR experiences |
| ARKit 2 | 2018 | Improved face/image tracking and 3D object detection |
| ARKit 3 | 2019 | People occlusion and motion capture functionality |
| iPhone X | 2017 | Front-facing depth sensing |
| iPhone 11 Pro | 2019 | Multi-camera depth sensing enhancements optimized for AR use |
| 2020 iPad Pro | 2020 | Added LiDAR depth sensor alongside main camera |
Table showing Apple‘s last 5 years of progress towards advanced AR experiences
These software and hardware advances over the past 5 years provide the toolkit and real-world spatial understanding needed to convincingly blend virtual objects with physical environments with Apple‘s eventual AR glasses.
Expected Timeline for the AR Glasses Launch
Credible rumors around Apple‘s AR smart glasses really picked up in 2020 and 2021. But reported development challenges mean Apple‘s first AR glasses likely won‘t arrive until 2025 at the very earliest.
Acclaimed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts the glasses hitting mass production between Q4 2024 and Q2 2025. Meanwhile, fellow analysts Jeff Pu believes we‘ll first see an Apple AR headset in January 2023. But Pu estimates the Apple AR glasses unveiling falling in late 2024.
Based on these supply chain experts with solid Apple track records, 2025 seems a reasonable target for public availability. We‘ll likely see Apple‘s inaugural AR headset prior to smarter AR glasses iteration.
2022/2023 – Apple AR/VR headset
2024 – Apple AR glasses prototype
2025 – Apple AR glasses available
Getting usable AR glasses to market involves immense hardware and software challenges which these timelines suggest Apple is still navigating. Still, 2025 would realize Tim Cook‘s early prediction that "[AR] will happen in a big way and we will wonder when it does, how we ever lived without it. Like we wonder how we lived without our phone today."
Expected Pricing Based on High-End Components
As an emerging advanced product category, and based on the premium pricing of Apple‘s existing portfolio, expectations are that Apple‘s AR glasses will be priced well above competing standard glasses. Exactly how much remains to be seen and appears to be widening as launch nears.
Early rumors from reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo pointed to between $500-800 based on component costs estimation. However, fellow analyst Jeff Pu recently bumped his pricing expectation to $2000+. Pu believes Apple may launch two tiers of AR glasses models with the highest configurations pushing into premium pricing.
For comparison, existing players in the AR glasses space like Microsoft HoloLens and Magic Leap ring up between $1000-$3500. So Apple entering on the higher end around $2000 would not prove surprising for the bleeding edge tech involved.
We can also consider the AR glasses as an accessory to Apple‘s broader ecosystem. For reference, Apple‘s highest configured iPhones now exceed $1100 while premium Apple Watches sell for $500+. So if Apple‘s AR glasses prove truly game-changing enhancement to these devices, a starting price approaching $2000 appears realistic given Apple‘s customer base willingness to pay for quality experiences.
Potential Pricing Range: $1000-$3000 depending on hardware power and capabilities
At any rate, we can expect Apple to charge a premium for its inaugural AR glasses given massive R&D costs behind the scenes. Over subsequent generations, components and manufacturing efficiencies could drive prices down closer to mass adoption ranges. But the first Apple AR glasses will likely cost a pretty penny. Or thousand in this case.
Envisioning the Design Based on Patents
While Apple plays prototypes extremely close to the vest, several design patents help envision what Apple‘s AR glasses could look like.
The consensus points to fairly normal eyeglass frames – perhaps signaling intent to develop eventually into all-day wearability. Renders show the temples possibly acting as large housings for hardware components.
Scanning technology would understandably play a huge role as well. Drawings show glasses with arrays of external cameras plus a LiDAR scanner integrated on one arm matching up with recent iPad Pro upgrades.
Concept image of Apple AR Glasses based on AR patents filed
Overall, expect a minimalist, familiar feel despite cramming frontier technology inside. Apple surely wants its AR glasses to appeal aesthetically and ergonomically to the masses. First versions may still fall short on truly wearable comfort. But Apple would design sous chefs something flowing seamlessly into our lives as the tech evolves.
On the functionality side, reliable Apple leaker Jon Prosser reports the current prototyping includes gesture controls via haptic touchpads on the stems alongside typical touch or voice activation for interfacing with content. So Apple takes advantage of having the tech physically on your face while aiming for hands-free engagement.
Powerful Experiences Fueled by the Apple Ecosystem
As with all emerging platforms, Apple‘s challenge entails crafting compelling use cases to spark developer enthusiasm and mass appeal. Their AR roadmap clearly charts a course aligning augmented reality experiences with their broader hardware and software ecosystem.
The Apple Glasses will likely handle pedestrian tasks like displaying messages and notifications. But the more cutting edge capabilities around sensory immersion and interactivity will tap into an iPhone or iPad‘s power via low-latency wireless transmission protocols.
So just as Apple Watch relies on iPhone, Apple AR Glasses serve as the lens (pun intended) into experiencing virtual worlds powered by events Apple devices in your pocket or on your desk.
Top applications based on Apple‘s ecosystem strengths include:
Next-Level Gaming – recent acquisitions of game studios using 3D, AR, and VR tools signal Apple‘s desire to pioneer immersive AAA gaming fueled by Apple hardware advancements.
Enterprise and Commercial Use – iOS already dominates enterprise activation share. AR glasses offer hands-free business productivity while AR visualizations will aid training and field services needing access to digital overlays.
Content Consumption – Apple aims for the glasses to handle visual and audio entertainment like consuming videos, movies, or listening to Apple Music spatially.
Mapping and Navigation – location awareness remains central to Apple‘s services and ad offerings. AR route guidance and maps integration appears a slam dunk augmented glasses capability.
Apple would be wise to open AR glasses tools to developers on day one. This proved wildly successful spurring app creativity with recent hits like Apple Watch and AirPods. The glasses ship as just the vessel – it‘s the AR experiences from Apple and third-parties that ultimately showcase its potential.
Health Considerations From Extended Wear
While still early innings, some concerning drawbacks or health impacts linked to prolonged virtual or augmented reality exposure bear consideration as Apple builds out its AR roadmap.
Early evidence suggests both psychological and physiological side effects from extended immersion via a wearable screen inches from your eyes. Studies note issues like motion sickness, eye strain, headaches plus sleep disruption correlated to overindulging in simulated environments.
At a minimum, Apple should embed parental controls governing usage limits for younger users. We need further data to establish safe levels – if any – for all-day or multi-hour exposure given limited research specifically on AR glasses versus more closed VR systems.
Assuming Apple envisions people wearing their AR glasses for large portions of their waking hours – health factors absolutely warrant careful, longitudinal study as much as technological optimization.
Challenges Apple Faces Bringing AR Glasses to Life
Given Apple‘s track record of pioneering consumer tech categories, they get the benefit of the doubt tackling the immense obstacles standing between current AR glasses prototypes and publically available models.
Their greatest challenge entails packing exceptionally advanced componentry into glasses balancing portability, comfort, style and battery efficiency. Apple solves insanely complex engineering problems the time – but available solutions today fall well short of unlocking lightweight glasses powering seamless AR magic for hours on end.
Beyond pure hardware, nailing the optimal user interface for engaging with rich AR content also poses barriers. Voice and gestures show promise for hands-free control but still suffer execution issues. Crafting immersive experiences on tiny surface areas inches from eyes demands new modalities not supporting Apple‘s renowned ease-of-use standards in version one.
Lastly, app ecosystem development at scale helps early technologies stick. But it took years to achieve developer enthusiasm and ideation at the levels seen today on iOS. Apple hopes lessons learned recently shepherding Apple Watch may accelerate nourishing its AR app marketplace.
Closing Thoughts on Apple‘s Upcoming AR Glasses
As the next epoch technology melding humans and computers, AR glasses present staggering opportunities alongside equal measures of complexity tackling pioneer problems.
Apple‘s definitive interest in dominating augmented reality means all eyes fixate on their presumed work on breakthrough AR glasses expected to drop within 2-3 years.
Expectations should remain measured for first-generation Apple products shipping at the bleeding edge. Yet if any company boasts proper ingredients blending industrial design prowess with clearly mapped platform strategy to unlock AR glasses‘ world-changing promise, Apple appears poised to usher the next era keeping Tim Cook‘s bold decade-spanning prophecy on track.
Disclaimers: Product concept images do not represent actual Apple products. Launch timelines, pricing, features based on compiling current rumors from analysts – not confirmed specs from Apple.
