Roger Fingas
Apple's rumored augmented reality (AR) headset could arrive as soon as 2019, comments from one of the company's assembly partners hinted on Tuesday.
"We are working on an AR project and have studied the optical technologies that AR devices have needed since two years ago," Quanta vice chairman C.C. Leung told reporters at an earnings conference, according to Nikkei Asian Review. "Currently, we see such a device available in the market no later than the year 2019."
While Quanta has other clients, Apple is the biggest, for which it assembles MacBooks and Apple Watches.
Leung described the proposed project only as a "headset-like gadget with a fully transparent lens that allows users to see through and interact with the environment" — phrasing that could apply to any AR headset, such as Windows Mixed Reality devices. Indeed Quanta may simply be aiming to produce a headset for any client, rather than pointing to a definite commercial product.
While Apple is generally believed to be working on an AR headset, a recent report pegged the earliest possible launch date as 2020. It did however suggest that Apple wants the underlying technology ready by 2019.
The product is thought to be codenamed "T288," and running a new platform, dubbed "rOS" — "reality operating system." For control, it may use the mix of a touch panel, head gestures, and Siri voice commands.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been vocal about his interest in AR, even downplaying the ARKit apps currently on the App Store versus what he expects AR to offer in the future.
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7 Comments
Quanta...
Apple's former assembly partner (perhaps?)
Apple will release something when they are good and ready, not before.
I have no doubt that other vendors will have their version of an AR headset/glasses out before Apple. I would expect some junk next year in fact. In 2019, a number of others will also introduce their "AR gadgets", and when Apple doesn't introduce Apple Glasses, the media storm will start up about Apple being late, can't innovate, {fill in with usual verbal diarrhoea}. None of those other vendor products will get much traction beyond tech enthusiasts and early adopters, but will earn lots of media praise.
And then at some later date - perhaps 2020, or 2021 - Apple will introduce their AR glasses product which will be better designed, more fashionable, far more reliable, and solve real world use cases. In 3 years Apple will dominate the premium end of said market.
Well you can wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which ones fills up first.....
As far as Apple goes...they'll release something when its ready, not just because a manufacturer wants it out. Go to Samsung or someone for that who just wants to be first for the sake of being first instead being out there with a functional/useful product.
So do I! Get to work! :blush: