Reports have revealed that Apple could potentially ramp up work on a pair of augmented reality (AR) smart glasses that could support the release of the company’s Vision Pro headset.
According to filings with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPO) last week, the Cupertino-based firm has outlined plans for a head-mounted display (HMD). With it, the company could use its digital crown feature to display notifications and images, listen to music, and others.
With the proposed smart glasses, Apple fans may tether the devices to their iPhones similarly to others like its Watch and AirPods wearables. Doing so would help streamline processing for the AR smart glasses, providing greater efficiency and power management.
A Bigger Slice of the Apple Pie (Chart)
News of the device comes as the tech giant aims to release its Vision Pro headset, which debuted at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2023 on 5 June.
Since then, the company has filed numerous patents for future devices, including AR-powered windshields and controls.
Apple also plans to launch a more budget-friendly iteration of the Vision Pro after the flagship version’s release. While the firm may lower specs for some of its functionality, the cost-effective Vision Pro hopes to achieve greater accessibility to fans of the original headset.
The enterprise firm aims to enter the immersive tech market as a premier provider of XR solutions. This comes amid growing rivalry with Meta Platforms, HTC VIVE, Lenovo, and others.
The advancement also comes as Meta secured microdisplays with LG last week for its future Quest Pro devices.
Apple 12 September Event
The announcement comes just days ahead of Apple’s massive product reveal, set to take place at 22:00 Pacific Time on Tuesday. Revealing the company’s iPhone 15, AirPod, and Watch products, the celebrated brand will live stream the event globally on social media and its website.
Circulating in the media, reports have said the upcoming product lineup will feature iPhones with USB-C charging and connectivity. Mark Gurman from Bloomberg reported that Apple will move away from its Lightning cables for its standard and Pro devices to comply with European Union regulations.
Additional updates include the new Dynamic Island for instantaneous notifications, smaller phone bezels, and titanium casing for a stronger, lighter form factor. The Pro models will receive the latter and an A17 bionic chipset upgrade.
Similarly, Meta Platforms launched its Meta Quest Pro and Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses last year, leading to a combined approach to product launches.
Apple XR Patents, Upgrades, and Innovations
Apple recently filed a wave of intellectual property (IP) with the USPTO, indicating a major push for smart glass innovations. In October 2021, the company submitted plans for improved facial biometrics technologies, which it aimed to implement in future smart eyeglass prototypes and products.
These would increase sensor alignment with inward-facing lenses to improve biometric readings for tasks like health, exercise, and facial monitoring tools.
Apple’s smart glasses push also revealed experimental displays that would beam images directly on the retina, rather than with microOLED screens.
The proposed Direct Retinal Projector would allow users of the not-too-distant device to avoid motion sickness and knock-on effects from poorly calibrated headset displays.
At the time, the company explained the accommodation-convergence mismatch, stating,
“Accommodation-convergence mismatch arises when a VR or AR system effectively confuses the brain of a user by generating scene content that does not match the depth expected by the brain based on the stereo convergence of the two eyes of the user”
With the series of product innovations, Apple aims to conquer the immersive hardware market by carving out a larger piece of the market.
Previously, Apple had shelved its AR smart glasses plans earlier this year, but the recent updates indicate a clear signal it will resume developing the prototype. This will hopefully lead to greater XR adoption rates at the enterprise and consumer level over the next five to ten years.
Apple’s ‘Quest’ to Secure AR Displays, Supply Chains
The news comes after reports revealed Apple had reached out to Luxshare, a Chinese manufacturer of AR components, for the latter’s smart glasses technologies.
Apple previously fell out with Taiwanese company Pegatron after the latter pulled out of Apple’s AR plans. This forced Apple to drop the latter as a preferred provider of AR components for the upcoming headsets.
However, this allowed the US tech behemoth to partner with Luxshare to secure cheaper components for its Vision Pro and smart glass ambitions. The measures also indicate more secure supply chains between the United States and China, despite the ongoing trade war between Washington and Beijing.
Furthermore, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic triggered production halts across the Foxconn plant in Shenzhen, leading to further headaches for Apple’s global productivity.
However, the Nikkei Asia report noted that Foxconn would manufacture a cheaper AR device for its industry partner, focusing on “automating mass production and improving production performance to help Apple lower overall costs,” according to sources.
Developments over Apple’s Vision Pro costs have blocked its initial production targets, forcing the company to lower them due to smaller-than-expected forecasts.
Luxshare is expected to cut product assembly estimates to roughly 400,000 units, down from Apple’s 1 million expected units. The Vision Pro and other devices require two units for full functionality. The trillion-dollar enterprise also expressed other concerns over Sony and TSMC-supplied components at the time.
