According to new reports, Apple has apparently partnered with Carl Zeiss to produce new AR glasses similar to Google’s failed Glass project.
Does Apple see a future in augmented reality? After the success of Pokemon Go, Apple CEO Tim Cook openly commented that the company plans to invest in AR technologies – now, just a few months later, a new report details that Apple has entered into a new partnership with Carl Zeiss to produce AR glasses.
Of course, the mere mention of the term ‘AR glasses’ has an immediate connotation with Google’s failed Glass wearable, which projected real-time information over reality when worn.
Read: Lenovo‘s Phab2 Pro arrives ready for augmented reality
A new report from respected technology blogger Robert Scoble reveals that Apple’s new partnership with Carl Zeiss is aimed at producing a new element of the Apple ecosystem. In November last year it was reported that Apple had begun working on AR glasses that could connect wirelessly with an iPhone in the same fashion as the Apple Watch and AirPods.
At the time, reports indicated that the project would come to fruition in 2018 – leaving the news that Apple has potentially decided to work with Zeiss a positive indication as to the success of the project.
It is presently unclear as to how Apple’s own AR glasses might complement its product portfolio. While the iPhone might be one such logical connection, the company has never openly pursued bringing AR or VR technology to either the Mac or Apple TV.
In July of 2016, Cook commented that “There‘s a tendency in this industry to call every(thing) the new computing platform. That said, I think AR can be huge, but we‘ll see whether it will be the next computing platform…” – leaving many speculators to posit that Apple’s AR glasses might be an accessory product similar to the AirPods rather than a new entry such as the Apple Watch.
Read: ASUS confirms production of its own augmented reality glasses
What are your thoughts? Would you buy into an Apple-made vision for AR, or would you prefer to enjoy content in VR? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
