Kuo: Apple's AR Headset to Launch in Second Quarter of 2020

[MacRumors]

Apple's augmented reality headset will enter mass production as soon as the fourth quarter of this year in time for an early 2020 launch, according to a new report out today from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and seen by MacRumors.

An Apple Glasses mockup​

In his latest research note with TF International Securities, the analyst says Apple will cooperate with third-party brands to launch its first head-mounted AR product in 2020, with Changying Precision tipped to be the main chassis supplier.

A Kuo report in March claimed Apple would launch an AR product in 2020 that could be ready by the middle of next year. However, Kuo has brought forward his predicted time of release and the analyst now believes the launch window for the product will fall in the second quarter of 2020.

Back in July, a DigiTimes report claimed Apple had suspended its AR headset project, but just last month, code found in Xcode 11 and iOS 13 confirmed that Apple is still working on an augmented reality headset of some kind.

Within the internal Find My app bundle that MacRumors exclusively shared, there is also an icon depicting what appears to be an AR or VR headset that looks similar to the Google Cardboard.

Kuo understands that Apple's AR glasses will be marketed as an iPhone accessory and primarily take a display role while wirelessly offloading computing, networking, and positioning to the iPhone.

Designing the AR glasses to work as an iPhone accessory is also expected to allow Apple to keep the glasses slim and lightweight, rather than trying to pack in all the processing hardware into the one device.

As early as November 2017, Bloomberg reported that Apple was developing an AR headset. Apple originally aimed to have it ready by 2019, but the company was relaxed about not shipping a product until 2020. The report said the headset would run on a new custom operating system, based on iOS, and dubbed "rOS" for "reality operating system."

In addition, today's report underlines Kuo's previous prediction that the most important change to the Apple chassis industry chain in 2020 will be the upgrade of the 5G iPhone's metal mid-frame/chassis.

For Apple's 2020 iPhones, Kuo believes the company will adopt a new metal frame structure reminiscent of the iPhone 4, which will significantly increase the unit cost due to the increase in processing procedures and the integration of composite materials.

Today's report from the respected Apple analyst also covered Apple's iPad Pro and MacBook plans for 2020, which we've covered in a separate article.

Article Link: Kuo: Apple's AR Headset to Launch in Second Quarter of 2020

 

[djcerla]

Luxottica's ridiculous markup on dumb glasses wll be an incredibly fertile terrain for Apple's disruption.

So I highly doubt the "will cooperate with third-party brands" part.

 

[frou]

Thank god for real AR, if only so that the Apple keynote events can finally stop having segments where big dumb wooden tables are looked at through iPhone/iPad screens!

 

[iDento]

Just like the Apple Watch, this will be an iPhone accessory with customizable bands for at the least the first five years.

I can't help but the think about the main purpose of this device, I mean the Apple Watch has health, the iPhone has apps, what would the Glasses thing be?

 

[Anony-mouse]

So one of the upcoming use cases for the U1 chip has been revealed.

 

[DNichter]

AR headset doesn’t sound like something I’d be interested in. Maybe a start, but the only way I’d consider is if they looked like normal glasses. I don’t expect that to happen in 2020. It’s good they are headed in that direction though, clearly the future. Much more so than folding phones.

 

[ChrisMoBro]

So far, I haven't really seen anything AR related that gets me really excited. Not to the point that I'd spend hundreds of dollars on something just so I can see constellations in the night sky or play a game on a surface in my house without having to hold my phone up.

 

[FranzMarc]

So far, I haven't really seen anything AR related that gets me really excited. Not to the point that I'd spend hundreds of dollars on something just so I can see constellations in the night sky or play a game on a surface in my house without having to hold my phone up.

I wonder if it's going to be possible to move away from physical displays and have the glasses take over that role?

You'd need only your iPhone for computing power and the glasses with cameras take care of showing your eyes a large display and maybe an AR keyboard?

 

[iRutherford]

Just like the Apple Watch, this will be an iPhone accessory with customizable bands for at the least the first five years.

I can't help but the think about the main purpose of this device, I mean the Apple Watch has health, the iPhone has apps, what would the Glasses thing be?

It can be used for entertainment, education, presentation and even life-critical simulations in the medical field.

 

[rmoliv]

What are the use cases of this hypothetical device for the average consumer? I don’t see anything I’d use them for.

 

[Abazigal]

What are the use cases of this hypothetical device for the average consumer? I don’t see anything I’d use them for.

Anytime you want to consume AR content but find holding up a smartphone to be too cumbersome and limiting.

Imagine you are hiking and your glasses is constantly beaming directions to your face.

I can imagine a few.

 

[Jsameds]

What are the use cases of this hypothetical device for the average consumer? I don’t see anything I’d use them for.

This is exactly what people asked about smartwatches a few years ago.

 

[ozhero]

Apple has put an enormous amount of development into AR and will be very interested to see how it's going to pay off, as I'm sure it will.

 

[StellarVixen]

Luxottica's ridiculous markup on dumb glasses wll be an incredibly fertile terrain for Apple's disruption.

So I highly doubt the "will cooperate with third-party brands" part.

Edit: deleted.

 

[Jsameds]

Apple AR device won't be groundbreaking at all with only 1 day or less battery life.

iPhone had less than a day's battery life. iPhone was groundbreaking.

 

[fokmik]

Like every last new big category the presentation was on September and release after 6 months
So if this AR flass are real, Sept 2020

 

[fokmik]

The Apple AR relies on smartphones to become computing device and so it won't be that groundbreaking.

It will if they rely on iphone, bec that means all the computing power is done on iphone, so the glasses can be slim or whatever form of normal glasses can be, instead looking like an gadget like google glasses etc

 

[jamdex]

I'll be waiting for Series 3 i think..

 

[plexdk]

The Apple AR relies on smartphones to become computing device and so it won't be that groundbreaking.

It will probably be depending on the iPhone in the start, like the watch. When the technology is ready, it will be standalone I guess.

 

[elvislives]

What are the use cases of this hypothetical device for the average consumer? I don’t see anything I’d use them for.

would be very handy for situations were you cant use your hands, like cycling for example you could display directions...

 

[JosephAW]

I'll be waiting for Series 3 i think..

Yes. Waterproof model.

 

[orbital~debris]

Luxottica's ridiculous markup on dumb glasses wll be an incredibly fertile terrain for Apple's disruption.

So I highly doubt the "will cooperate with third-party brands" part.

I’m thinking handpicked collaborations with relevant eyewear/fashion brands, along the lines of Hermès and Nike (but not necessarily those, or just those companies), à la Apple Watch.

There will likely be Apple-designed frames, too - probably with interchangeable arms using an easy-to-swap mechanism similar to the watch straps.

 

[guitarpanda]

Apple AR will be a huge failure without any onboard SoC and need extra device to be usable. The user might not like to carry an extra device.

Yes, I hardly know anyone who carries their phone wherever they go.

 

[twinlight]

Considering the evolution the Watch went through with its first software update and then the huge improvements going to Series 3 I’ll think twice about being a first adopter.

Funny how I hated glasses for 20 years and had laser surgery to get away from glasses, almost never use sunglasses and I am still looking forward to what these can do for me!

 

[Yojimbo007]

Im really looking forward to this...
Eyewear as potenial display screen for iphone ...plus the ability to overlay all kinds of realtime information/imagery over ones view of the real world.
Possibilities are incredible!
I was not expecting to see this product this soon.
If true...its very exciting. !