Apple CEO 'Hell Bent' on Launching True AR Glasses Before Meta

[skit911]

Apple CEO Tim Cook is "hell bent" on bringing true augmented reality glasses to market before Meta can achieve the same feat, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that upcoming new versions of Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset are a "stepping stone" towards Cook's ultimate decade-long goal of making AR glasses – lightweight spectacles that users can wear all day and which overlay graphics on the real world.

Cook has apparently made the glasses a "top priority" for the company. "Tim cares about nothing else," Gurman quotes a person with knowledge of the matter as saying. "It's the only thing he's really spending his time on from a product development standpoint."

Meta is currently developing true AR glasses, and has already prototyped a version of the device it envisions bringing to mass market, dubbed Orion.

Gurman notes that it will take "many years" for true AR glasses to be ready, with several technologies still needing to be perfected, including high-resolution displays, a high-performance chip, and a tiny battery that can provide all-day power.

Meta's non-AR Ray-Ban glasses have reportedly been a surprise hit. These glasses are for taking pictures and conversing with an AI assistant. Apple is said to have discussed the possibility of making similar glasses to compete in the same space. Apple's rationale seems to be that creating smart glasses could be a precursor to developing true AR glasses further in the future.

Apple is also said to be adding AI-enabled cameras to the Apple Watch and AirPods over the next couple of years.

There have been rumors about Apple's work on AR glasses – aka Apple Glass – for almost 10 years now, and the Vision Pro headset is what Apple built because the technology doesn't yet exist for the kind of augmented reality glasses that Apple is aiming for.

Gurman has previously reported that Apple is conducting user studies at its offices to gauge the appeal of features and interfaces, and that the company is working on a version of visionOS that will run on glasses. Codenamed "Atlas," the studies are being led by Apple's Product Systems Quality team, part of the hardware engineering division.

Article Link: Apple CEO 'Hell Bent' on Launching True AR Glasses Before Meta

Lots of negativity in these comments… they absolutely need to focus on squashing bugs and fixing Siri. Good thing they have Craig, Mark and staff. They should hire more engineers and make iOS 20 a Snow Leopard update.

But going forward, this will be the future of personal computing. If that isn’t clear to you, you’re not paying attention.

 

[Rradcircless]

Meanwhile my HomePods are getting worse at simple song requests. I just want a Siri that can handle basic tasks.

 

[childlost]

Apart from uber-geeks, nobody wants or needs this. Tim Cook is a good accountant, not a visionary leader. Everything he's done from a product pov has been incremental. 10% faster here, 12% lighter there. Works for business - we all like faster and lighter so we keep buying apple stuff (partly because we're "trapped" in the ecosystem). But every time he tried to play "Steve Jobs Jr", it's been a failure. Even the Vision Pro. Amazing from a tech pov, good PR, but nobody wants it.

 

[Paddle1]

I think a big hurdle with these is that they're simply annoying. People that don't wear glasses will find having to wear them obnoxious and people that do will need them to be customized for their prescription. Or the issue that they're likely incompatible with other protective eyewear be it sunglasses, goggles etc.

 

[childlost]

Lots of negativity in these comments… they absolutely need to focus on squashing bugs and fixing Siri. Good thing they have Craig, Mark and staff. They should hire more engineers and make iOS 20 a Snow Leopard update.

But going forward, this will be the future of personal computing. If that isn’t clear to you, you’re not paying attention.

Seriously? Attention to what? Where are those signs we're missing?

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Lots of negativity in these comments… they absolutely need to focus on squashing bugs and fixing Siri. Good thing they have Craig, Mark and staff. They should hire more engineers and make iOS 20 a Snow Leopard update.

But going forward, this will be the future of personal computing. If that isn’t clear to you, you’re not paying attention.

Why do you assume that something you have to wear on your face is the future of computing? I don't wear glasses, I don't want to wear glasses, and I'm not going to. My wife wears contacts, because she hates wearing glasses. My daughter wears glasses and hates them, and is ready to move to contacts. My parents wear glasses and hate it. Coworkers (hospital) usually wear contacts because glasses get in the way and are a hassle.

Glasses can be fashion, but most are utility and not particular liked.

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

I wish he was hell bent on quality software

That’s literally what got me into Macs 20 years ago and it’s still the reason I’m in the Apple ecosystem

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

They will be terrible. Cook has absolutely no idea about product whatsoever.

 

[0049190]

That's cool, I respect that. That's the drive that has been seemingly missing over at Apple for the last 10 years or so. This is how we got iPods, iPhones - almost obsession to deliver a ground breaking product that will change the world. Way to go Cookie!

I agree that Apple need to regain their obsessive passion for new products but I don’t think AR glasses will change the world.

 

[Mr_Ed]

Lots of negativity in these comments… they absolutely need to focus on squashing bugs and fixing Siri. Good thing they have Craig, Mark and staff. They should hire more engineers and make iOS 20 a Snow Leopard update.

But going forward, this will be the future of personal computing. If that isn’t clear to you, you’re not paying attention.

This is the future of personal computing in the same way 3D was the future of TV. I wear eyeglasses because I need them to be able to see. Were it not for that, I would not willingly wear anything on my face. And let’s not forget what this device will eventually devolve to: a constant feed of targeted advertising everywhere you go, the entire time you wear them. No, thanks.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

"Tim cares about nothing else,"​

Well that much is obvious.

 

[Steve121178]

If only he was "hell bent" on getting their software bugs squashed. Sequoia is a joke.

 

[iPay]

Finally a decent April Fools! The last one with Apple Ring was too obvious

 

[System603]

Well, what happened with Google was not the failure really but the people’s acceptance they hated those things. The first thing they were introduced they didn’t have a chance.

I wholeheartedly agree. The original Google Glass was fine for its time. I actually enjoyed using them during the short period I had access. But it was all the drama surrounding it, combined with the fact that it was a niche product to begin with. That led to its demise. They had another revisions, but it was a different product then.

That's where Apple has the advantage. They have the market (and marketing) power to normalise products. Wireless headphones? They looked weird to many people... until AirPods made it ok in the eyes of the masses. Smartwatches? Ew... until the Apple Watch became something you could wear to dinner, some even to Met Gala.

This could happen with Apple’s whatever-glasses. I’m not necessarily interested in a specific Apple product, but in what it can do for an entire product category.

In that sense, Apple entering the market could be a godsend for Meta's efforts. Unless they "Vision Pro" the price point and their own success.

 

[JOLoughlin]

Don’t think being the first in this category is a good goal especially with Meta who would likely release a very compromised product first and subsidized.

 

[617arg]

Why do you assume that something you have to wear on your face is the future of computing? I don't wear glasses, I don't want to wear glasses, and I'm not going to. My wife wears contacts, because she hates wearing glasses. My daughter wears glasses and hates them, and is ready to move to contacts. My parents wear glasses and hate it. Coworkers (hospital) usually wear contacts because glasses get in the way and are a hassle.

Glasses can be fashion, but most are utility and not particular liked.

Exactly - and similar to "Vision Pro", those that wear glasses or contacts because they need to are left with a convoluted mess of buying a set that works under only one of the scenarios they might find themselves in during a typical day. Throw in those who are both nearsighted and farsighted, and things get even more complicated.

 

[andiwm2003]

I have the feeling that Tim is not thinking about what a new good product for the customer is. He just sees the AR glasses as a sure fire way to tie customers into the apple ecosystem and bombard them constantly with information and ads and products. So to him it's the next logical easy way to squeeze money out of customers.
Personally I think AR glasses are useful in a work environment, for disabled people, as tourist guides and many other niche use cases. I can't see myself using them in normal life. Yes, you can get easy access to information in real time but do I really need that and is it more of a distraction than a help? Heads up displays in cars are cool but you really have to limit the information to the absolute necessary. Same with AR glasses.

 

[Jason2000]

Sounds like Cook wants to be remembered for being more than just a supply chain bean counter. Good luck with that.

I also don’t get the push for this from Apple, Meta, or anyone else. In the US, around half of adults use glasses. I suppose you could have them custom made to your prescription (for an added cost, of course), but I’m not sure how they would handle something like a progressive lens for projection of AR overlay.

These are the future.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

These are the future.

I'm going to keep saying it. It's a future for a certain selection of people, in certain situations. It is not, and will never be, the default option for most.

I'm happy to not need glasses at 45, and not going to start wearing them voluntarily.

 

[Mr_Ed]

These are the future.

Not my future. What will compel you to wear something like this?

 

[TJFDenver]

I'd be a buyer for Apple Glasses gen 3 ... so sometime 2030 ... refurbished on amazon that is

 

[AnotherOpinion]

The Vision Pro should have content creation tools… It's a PRO device… so Apple needs to make it for professionals, and make the glasses the consumer product. It baffled me that Apple has not made ANY AR or VR creator tools for the Apple Vision Pro. I honestly feel that would have set themselves up for a long-term success.

 

[deckard666]

They’re a fail at a base level - no-one WANTS to wear glasses who doesn’t have to for their sight.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

The Vision Pro should have content creation tools… It's a PRO device… so Apple needs to make it for professionals, and make the glasses the consumer product. It baffled me that Apple has not made ANY AR or VR creator tools for the Apple Vision Pro. I honestly feel that would have set themselves up for a long-term success.

Apple is well past the point where Pro means Professional. It designates a higher trim package...that's it.

 

[StuBeck]

Maybe make sure it works and has an audience first before just releasing it before your competitors? I'm not sure many of us are asking for this, so there isn't a rush on anyones part to be the first. If they somehow think they're going to lose the entire market if they're a few months behind someone else, then I think Apple has bigger issues to be concerned about.