Apple's Smart Glasses Could Become Its Next Health Device

[MacRumors]

Apple wants its future glasses and headsets to double as health and fitness devices, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said the ambition traces back to Vision Pro's early development, when Apple weighed a number of ambitious health and fitness features for the headset. Among the ideas Apple explored was a Vision Pro-native take on Fitness+, designed to have wearers work out and follow along with classes while the headset's body-tracking sensors monitored their form. That project stalled and was ultimately scrapped, according to Gurman, both because of technical limitations and because the headset was simply too heavy to wear comfortably during a workout.

Apple has apparently carried that ambition into its smart glasses project once the company shifted its spatial computing focus away from Vision Pro. He draws a parallel to AirPods, which Apple transformed from simple earbuds into a functioning hearing aid system. Sensors embedded in the glasses, he suggested, could eventually let Apple capture movement data in a similar way, opening the door to fitness-tracking functionality later down the line.

Gurman noted that this won't be part of the glasses when they debut next year; he expects the health capabilities to arrive gradually, over a period of years rather than at launch.

He pointed out that the Vision Products Group, Apple's team responsible for glasses and future headsets, is looking to hire a "strategic product design leader" tasked with helping "define the future of health, well-being and fitness experiences across vision products." Whoever fills the role will need to "translate ambiguous opportunities at the intersection of spatial computing, wearables, consumer health and human behavior" into an actual product direction.

The listing also calls for a candidate with "experience developing and validating digital health or fitness products" and "familiarity with sensor-driven experiences." Put together, Gurman argues, the posting confirms Apple's intent to eventually place its glasses alongside AirPods and Apple Watch as health platforms.

Apple's first smart glasses are expected to launch late next year, following a potential unveiling at WWDC.

Article Link: Apple's Smart Glasses Could Become Its Next Health Device

 

[bluecoast]

I'm sticking with DuckDuckGo's smart glasses.

 

[scrapesleon]

for health features no! for information on things you look at through the glasses yes

 

[McWetty]

“Apple explored was a Vision Pro-native take on Fitness+, designed to have wearers work out and follow along with classes while the headset's body-tracking sensors monitored their form.”

I can’t imagine working out with a Vision Pro headset on my head. My neck muscles would be massive.

 

[Zwhaler]

“Ambiguous opportunities” sounds about right. Jumping around while wearing glasses doesn’t work very well. Seems better to use a big screen plus Apple TV for such an exercise.

 

[winxmac]

Will this also become a stealth way to record what the user sees and hears?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Based on the reputation of smart glasses around here, I expect the new health function will be hiding the black eyes you get from wearing them in public.

 

[svish]

Can definitely see Apple going ahead with the health route. I want it for the AR/VR use cases. Waiting to see the new device.

 

[UltimaKilo]

"smart" glasses anytime before 2029 (likely 2031) is stupid and risks shipping a half-baked product like the Vision Pro. The tech is not there yet to release any real glasses that can process hundreds of images at the same time and provide real-time info. At best it will be some gimmick iPhone HUD with speakers and cameras.

 

[Line_Noise]

Get your exercise minutes in as you're chased down the street?

 

[syklee26]

Chexking out fine girls hiding behind the glasses certainly helps in many ways healthwise...

 

[pbau]

We would more benefit from glucose and blood pressure monitoring

 

[PBG4 Dude]

We would more benefit from glucose and blood pressure monitoring

For glasses they could point out when that vein on your head is pulsing.

 

[RealKeishav]

"smart" glasses anytime before 2029 (likely 2031) is stupid and risks shipping a half-baked product like the Vision Pro. The tech is not there yet to release any real glasses that can process hundreds of images at the same time and provide real-time info. At best it will be some gimmick iPhone HUD with speakers and cameras.

I don’t agree that vision pro is half baked it’s a perfectly polished product just overpriced due to launching it atleast 5 years it should have been

 

[Unity451]

I'm sticking with DuckDuckGo's smart glasses.

I love this! I love how they included these little icons. So funny! I think I found my next pair of sunglasses!

 

[TheMountainLife]

Man this article like most of MR is a nothing burger of words. Regardless of what "smart" glasses can do just have a yearly physical or visit your doctor based on the recommended interval for your age.

 

[RoadWarrior56]

Another solution in seach of a problem. I wear glasses (unfortunately), and I have absolutely NO desire to have a tech device mounted on my face in the guise of eyeglasses. Regular eyeglasses are bad enough. I draw the line at wearing earpods (as long as they have no cameras).

 

[EM2013]

Just like ai trying so hard to push these onto people. You don’t need anything to workout besides discipline.

 

[rymc02]

I don’t agree that vision pro is half baked it’s a perfectly polished product just overpriced due to launching it atleast 5 years it should have been

It was half-baked from a use-case argument. They didn't launch any games with it. They have a movie studio and dripped like 3, 10-minute shows in spatial video over 3 years. The only neat use case was using it with a Mac. But considering its weight, it was only useful for short periods of time. They gave no legitimate reason to really use this thing and it was made worse by the cost.

 

[montuori]

Another solution in seach of a problem.

Well, maybe. I'm pretty severely face blind and just don't recognize people. This can be really difficult. Having a name appear when the glasses recognize someone would be kind of cool in some situations (like trying to watch TV). Or at least relieve the burden from my very close friends who are constantly whispering names in my ear.

I, like you, am loathe to wear tech like this. It is legit creepy (and I'm not eager to wear mass produced frames). It's hard to deny the utility of such a thing though.

 

[Surrylic]

The last thing I want is an intelligent camera system that’s always pointing at everything in my life, and another device to deliver notifications to me even more obtrusively.

That being said, I’ve always wanted glasses that have a little display for things like running. I’m almost always wearing sunglasses outside, and I would freaking LOVE to have a HUD that is displaying current distance, pace, time, etc. within view while running. Especially when training for a specific event.

 

[BeatsByTim]

for health features no! for information on things you look at through the glasses yes

I’m hoping for first person videos of these things getting knocked off faces in public

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Can’t wait for the iGlasses Pro!