Apple makes augmented reality indeed a reality for iPhone users as they launch their first ever AR glasses.
Ming-Chi Kuo announced on March 8 that Apple will soon be working on their first ever augmented reality product. The Apple analyst predicted that the AR glasses will roll out in production by the fourth quarter of 2019. Kuo further lengthened the time frame and gave the second quarter of 2020 as the expected iPhone dependent AR headset mass production.
The reliable Apple leaker explained that Apple's AR headset will completely depend on iPhone for connectivity. He elaborated that the AR headset will serve as a display and the rest of the task such as location services, rendering, actual computing, and internet connectivity will be done through the iPhone it connects to.
Apple's iPhone dependent AR headset will work wirelessly just like how an Apple Watch depends on an iPhone from a user's pocket for almost all of its functions. Apple designs the Apple Watch and the iPhone dependent AR headset that way so that both the devices will be lighter and free from the unnecessary load when everything is forcefully packed in them.
With the majority of Apple's iPhone dependent AR headset functions left on the iPhone, one possible issue that may arise is the amount of battery power that the device will consume from the phone. Kuo did not elaborate more on the details as Apple still has a long way to go designing technology into the AR headset such as the companion depth sensor and display.
With Kuo releasing the announcement on Apple's iPhone dependent AR headset preview and mass production, Apple followers now have an assurance that augmented reality is coming, although it limits the hope to iPhone users alone as of the moment with the AR device expected to be completely dependent to iPhones.
Back in 2017, a report gave the Apple users a preview on Apple's plan for augmented reality. The given time frame back then which was described as very aggressive forecast technically matches the dates from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's Friday announcement.
On the other hand, Apple's iPhone dependent AR headset function contradicts the 2017 report that says the first generation of AR headset will not use the users' phone as the engine and will instead have its own new chip and operating system. The report which according to the author came from the people, who requested anonymity speaking about a confidential matter, left an open ending for the possible changes in the tech giant's plan as their targeted 2019 to 2020 time frame approaches.
