Apple has put a halt on the development of its augmented reality glasses, known as Apple Glasses, due to technical difficulties.
The company had initially planned to release the glasses after its mixed reality headset, but the launch date has now been pushed back indefinitely.
According to Bloomberg, the glasses would have been similar to Google Glass, providing digital information overlaid on the real world rather than immersive virtual experiences. However, Apple has been unable to create a lightweight wearable that has the power of an iPhone and enough battery life to run it.
The Apple Glasses were rumored to have a Triad feature, which would have allowed users to see digital information overlaid on their surroundings without obscuring the real world. However, the technical challenges of creating such a product proved to be too difficult for the company to overcome.
Apple initially wanted to release the Apple Glasses in 2023 before delaying the project to 2025, but now the product’s launch has been postponed indefinitely. Apple has also scaled back work on the device, so Apple Glasses will not be launching in the foreseeable future.
Despite the setbacks, Apple still considers AR glasses to be a product that could one day replace the iPhone. According to Bloomberg, some Apple employees do not believe that Apple will ever ship AR glasses. Most of Apple’s AR/VR group is working on the mixed reality headsets that Apple is planning to produce, but there are still some that are exploring technology for future AR glasses.
Rather than developing augmented reality glasses, Apple is now focused on creating a more affordable mixed reality headset that will appeal to a wider range of consumers. The first AR/VR headset that is set to launch this year will cost somewhere around $3,000, so Apple wants to provide similar capabilities at a cheaper price point in the future.
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