William Gallagher
If you can't decide between two items in a store, you may be able to hold them side by side and have "Apple Glass" display a rundown of the benefits of each.
We've all stood in supermarkets trying to do unit pricing, figuring out whether the larger pack is actually better value than the smaller one. It's in the interests of all retailers to make that comparison at least hard enough that we don't bother, and preferably to make it more likely for us to buy whichever costs more.
Now just wait a minute, says Apple. In a newly revealed patent application, Apple proposes a system where a device like "Apple Glass" could step in to help.
"Product Comparison Techniques," credited to Golnaz Abdollahian and Earl M. Olsen, points out that sometimes key information is simply not there. This can be because of food standards issues, or it can just be that the cooking instructions, for instance, are on the part of the packaging you can't see without opening the pack.
"Comparing information about two similar products may require piecing together information from disparate labeling on the respective product packages," says Apple. "Sometimes, more detailed information about the product are not physically available on the product packaging (e.g., ratings or instructions for use)."
Consequently, Apple is proposing a way of "providing product information." Hold two items close enough together, and that movement will trigger "Apple Glass" to find and display information.
"The appearance of a first product and a second product is detected within a field of view of one or more image sensors," continues Apple. "If the movement of the first product or the second product relative to one another causes the first product to come within a threshold distance of the second product, then comparison information is displayed at a location at least partially between the first product and the second product."
Say you're faced with two or more items that are extraordinarily similar — for instance, the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone-12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. "Apple Glass" could display a specification sheet, a rundown chart, or even a Top Trumps-style comparison listing.
Abdollahian has previously worked on how to position virtual objects, such as this kind of list, next to real-world items. And Olsen has prior work on using digital assistants to help navigate through AR and CGR environments.
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
11 Comments
I hate that Apple Glass mock-up photo. Our eyes are not dual displays! The same scene would be projected to both eyes.
I can see retailers trying to make such comparisons even harder than they are now. I remember a few years ago I was in Walmart recording prices on my Palm when an employee approached and asked what I was doing. When I answered that I was recording the prices for comparison, she said, "We'd prefer people didn't compare our prices to our competitors."
But then she walked away without taking further action. I'm reasonably certain she thought I was working for a competitor, but it was still amusing. I kept on recording the prices in which I was interested and I wasn't bothered again.