Rumors of the demise of Apple’s Good Glasses could have been untimely. Not solely does the corporate nonetheless plan to launch a pair of good glasses to compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban specs, however a brand new report suggests it’s actively engaged on the chips that may energy these new gadgets.
That’s the phrase from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who reported yesterday that its silicon design group — the identical crew that got here up with the M-series chips that energy its iPads, Macs, and Imaginative and prescient Professional — is engaged on a specialised chip designed for good glasses.
The brand new chip doesn’t have a designation but (that we all know of), but it surely’s reportedly much like the S-series chips that energy the Apple Watch. The bottom line is to make use of as little power as potential since Apple doesn’t need to pack a cumbersome battery into its Good Glasses, a lot much less require customers to hold an exterior battery because it does with the Imaginative and prescient Professional.
Apple is constructing the chip lean and imply, eradicating as many pointless parts as potential to enhance energy effectivity and specializing in important duties like controlling the a number of cameras within the glasses.
That is maybe the most important revelation that Apple’s Good Glasses are greater than only a idea challenge. Processor design and testing take a variety of time, however the firm hopes to start mass manufacturing of chips by early 2027. Since this chip can be designed solely for the Good Glasses, it suggests we’ll see the spectacles debut round that point.
To be clear, these can be removed from the mythic Apple Glass that we’ve heard rumored for years, however that’s to not say these aren’t coming sometime. If something, these Good Glasses are merely step one in Apple’s journey towards its way more bold imaginative and prescient for a set of true augmented actuality (AR) glasses.
In actual fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner is reportedly ‘hell-bent’ on creating Apple Glasses. It’s been his “grand imaginative and prescient” for not less than a decade, and sources say he “cares about nothing else” proper now. Nevertheless, regardless that Apple has been engaged on AR glasses for greater than seven years, they’re a nut the corporate hasn’t been capable of crack. The know-how isn’t there but to construct them, not less than not at a value that may be inexpensive sufficient to hassle.
Insiders say that Cook dinner is decided to get its true AR glasses available on the market earlier than Meta can. The social media firm has already beat Apple to the punch for good glasses, and it’s decided to not let that occur in terms of its final imaginative and prescient for Apple Glass.
In a single sense, Apple has its work minimize out for it. Meta has already unveiled its personal promise for true AR glasses with Orion. These are little greater than prototypes proper now, however they’re nonetheless one thing tangible for the corporate to indicate off to builders, clients, and traders.
Meta hopes to launch a shopper model of those by the top of 2027, however it might be dreaming in technicolor. They presently value $10,000 simply to construct, and developer items gained’t be accessible till subsequent 12 months. They’re additionally sort of ugly. Meta could have its work minimize out for it, getting the design and prices to a degree that the typical individual will need to spend cash on, particularly in right this moment’s economic system.
Nonetheless, if Cook dinner needs to beat Meta to market, Apple should do greater than produce a set of good glasses which are kind of simply its personal tackle rival merchandise. Gurman’s sources say that Apple is now engaged on AR glasses in parallel with the non-AR good glasses underneath the identical challenge, codenamed N401. That’s a shift from the shelved N421 of the unique Apple Glass and the newer N50 of the good glasses.
Apple can also be protecting all bases in terms of camera-equipped AI gadgets. Alongside the glasses chip, Apple is creating a chip for a camera-equipped Apple Watch dubbed “Nevis” and a brand new chip referred to as “Glennie” to be included in camera-laden AirPods. Whereas these options are partly a backup plan to the good glasses, Apple in the end needs to supply AI-powered good gadgets for all walks of life, so those that don’t need to put on good glasses can nonetheless profit from these new capabilities in different methods.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]