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Many were speculating that these glasses would be Apple's first major new product release at their new headquarters/"Spaceship", coinciding with the 10th annive

Many were speculating that these glasses would be Apple's first major new product release at their new headquarters/"Spaceship", coinciding with the 10th anniversary iPhone launch. Robert Scoble has been mentioning the Zeiss partnership since CES, and recently someone from Foxconn/Hon Hai had allegedly leaked some details about a Google-Glass-like device with a near eye display in the bill of materials. Supposedly they won't be ready this year due to unique design challenges, but who knows for certain... I work closely with people in the AR industry and everyone knows Apple has been investing heavily in developing this wearable device. Augmented reality is the next major fundamental platform shift, and Apple is hoping it will play the role the iPhone did as the catalyst for the smartphone/mobile era - but this time for consumer AR. What Apple announced today is simply the beginning - they are providing tools so they can establish the foundation for "the largest AR platform in the world" (as mentioned at WWDC today). Side note: There's a video from the 90's or late 80's showing an Apple concept for augmented reality glasses - it features a woman translating French or something while reading a restaurant menu. I can't seem to find it but it was on YouTube at some point...

jpalomaki 9y ago
I can't even imagine what the AR device should look like so that it would be "cool" to wear casually. Should it try to look like normal eyewear or be distinctly different? How to cope with indoor vs outdoor use (regular vs sunglasses)? How to deal with the issues Google hit (taking pictures, others feeling uncertain if you are with them or reading emails). This also creates an opportunity for Apple. It's not just about the technology. You need to really figure out what customers will love and make the right decisions on what to include and what to leave out.
- georgespencer 9y ago
  The frame they're using is very similar in shape to the Snap spectacles. I expect them to have a more classic design treatment than Snap's bold colours. The frame design has little accents at the upper-left most and upper-right most aspect of the frame, as you look at them (where the arms connect) which is one of the very few ways you can imagine integrating the two cameras which will be required for depth perception without bulkily clipping them on.
- synaesthesisx 9y ago
  Precisely - it's a massive challenge they're undertaking. I think they'll omit cameras on such a device for this reason. Smart glasses have never been "cool", but keep in mind that prior to the iPhone smartphones were generally uncommon for average users - unless you were a geek (I used to use a Palm Treo/PDAs in HS). I think what they're aiming for will be something like the AirPods but intended to be worn all the time like Apple Watch. If AirPods were slightly smaller and had all-day battery life or wireless charging they could stay in your ears all day as a "wearable", like how many wear hearing aids today. AR Glasses would have to be lightweight and as un-intrusive as possible - they'd have to appeal not only to people who wear eyewear regularly but also to users who are not accustomed to doing so. Perhaps they'll incorporate a retinal projector like Magic Leap or some other novel tech...
  - sangnoir 9y ago
    > I think they'll omit cameras on such a device for this reason How would they track objects in 3D without a camera? Accelerometers are not accurate enough to to overlay-type augmentation they demoed. Unless you mean that the user won't be able to record pictures/videos so they won't call it a camera.
    - thefalcon 9y ago
      Apple seems like the kind of company that would bother including cameras and then be able to stand behind a decision to lock users out of using them.
      - evan_ 9y ago
        well then that wouldn't save any space, would it?
        thefalcon 9y ago
        I mean that they would disallow saving photos/videos for privacy reasons, and could stand behind their hardware being secure enough that people don't have to worry if they're still being secretly filmed by hacked iRis's or whatever.
- hbosch 9y ago
  The "Foxconn Insider" on Reddit claimed the original designs were using the P3 style frames[0] (in colors Clear, Champagne, and Black). In my humble opinion, this is a savvy choice – while maybe not as "iconic" as your average Wayfarer-style glasses, the P3 style speaks to many demographics. They are quite in style these days. The same leaker said there were also plans to release new styles seasonally (presumably in order to stay in style) – which begs the question: would the projection apparatus be modular? FWIW the "leaker" claimed the project was postponed indefinitely due to battery manufacturing feasibilities. 0. http://www.bensilver.com/The-P3-Shape.html http://www.bensilver.com/The-P3-Shape.html
  - nerfhammer 9y ago
    P3 = Snap Spectacles, also?
    - bredren 9y ago
      Sure looks like it.

jpalomaki 9y ago

I can't even imagine what the AR device should look like so that it would be "cool" to wear casually. Should it try to look like normal eyewear or be distinctly different? How to cope with indoor vs outdoor use (regular vs sunglasses)? How to deal with the issues Google hit (taking pictures, others feeling uncertain if you are with them or reading emails). This also creates an opportunity for Apple. It's not just about the technology. You need to really figure out what customers will love and make the right decisions on what to include and what to leave out.

georgespencer 9y ago
The frame they're using is very similar in shape to the Snap spectacles. I expect them to have a more classic design treatment than Snap's bold colours. The frame design has little accents at the upper-left most and upper-right most aspect of the frame, as you look at them (where the arms connect) which is one of the very few ways you can imagine integrating the two cameras which will be required for depth perception without bulkily clipping them on.
synaesthesisx 9y ago
Precisely - it's a massive challenge they're undertaking. I think they'll omit cameras on such a device for this reason. Smart glasses have never been "cool", but keep in mind that prior to the iPhone smartphones were generally uncommon for average users - unless you were a geek (I used to use a Palm Treo/PDAs in HS). I think what they're aiming for will be something like the AirPods but intended to be worn all the time like Apple Watch. If AirPods were slightly smaller and had all-day battery life or wireless charging they could stay in your ears all day as a "wearable", like how many wear hearing aids today. AR Glasses would have to be lightweight and as un-intrusive as possible - they'd have to appeal not only to people who wear eyewear regularly but also to users who are not accustomed to doing so. Perhaps they'll incorporate a retinal projector like Magic Leap or some other novel tech...
- sangnoir 9y ago
  > I think they'll omit cameras on such a device for this reason How would they track objects in 3D without a camera? Accelerometers are not accurate enough to to overlay-type augmentation they demoed. Unless you mean that the user won't be able to record pictures/videos so they won't call it a camera.
  - thefalcon 9y ago
    Apple seems like the kind of company that would bother including cameras and then be able to stand behind a decision to lock users out of using them.
    - evan_ 9y ago
      well then that wouldn't save any space, would it?
      - thefalcon 9y ago
        I mean that they would disallow saving photos/videos for privacy reasons, and could stand behind their hardware being secure enough that people don't have to worry if they're still being secretly filmed by hacked iRis's or whatever.
hbosch 9y ago
The "Foxconn Insider" on Reddit claimed the original designs were using the P3 style frames[0] (in colors Clear, Champagne, and Black). In my humble opinion, this is a savvy choice – while maybe not as "iconic" as your average Wayfarer-style glasses, the P3 style speaks to many demographics. They are quite in style these days. The same leaker said there were also plans to release new styles seasonally (presumably in order to stay in style) – which begs the question: would the projection apparatus be modular? FWIW the "leaker" claimed the project was postponed indefinitely due to battery manufacturing feasibilities. 0. http://www.bensilver.com/The-P3-Shape.html http://www.bensilver.com/The-P3-Shape.html
- nerfhammer 9y ago
  P3 = Snap Spectacles, also?
  - bredren 9y ago
    Sure looks like it.