Technology runs our lives these days. Smartphones, tablets, and computers, we really can’t seem to function without them. In a concise amount of time, technology has exploded in the market, and now, many people cannot imagine a life without it. All technologies are born out of purpose. Back in the day, we used to carry multiple devices with us for different purposes. For example, you had to take a massive camera for just photography, a bulky phone for communication & a music player for entertainment. But now, our smartphones can serve almost 90% of these purposes while being in our pocket and these types of evolution keep on going!
Although many of the technologies have evolved around us, starting with a simple kitchen gadget to a high-tech space suit everything has changed, but one thing that still remained unchanged is our glass! They are still the same with just two glasses. When Google Glass came out in 2013, they were ahead of their time. but they didn’t last for several reasons. To do anything, you had to tilt your head and say, “ok glass” or use the touchpad. They were also expensive, clunky, and most importantly, people didn’t know why they needed them. Google eventually reinvented the glasses as a tool for professionals. They’re not sold directly to consumers, as they’re not a mainstream product. The same goes for Microsoft HoloLens which was launched in 2016! But what’s around the corner is meant to appeal to the masses.
Apple has always been renowned for launching revolutionary products that can reshape the technological world as we know it. They brought out the revolutionary Mac, including the iPhone and Apple Watch. They were also the ones to start the revolution for computer OS, which’s the refined version that we have today! The tech giant Apple is like the glowing star amongst all other tech manufacturing company and each and every company doesn’t even start following the trend if Apple doesn’t involve themselves in the show! Take the Apple Watch, for example, there were many smartwatches available on the market before the apple watch was even launched, but it wasn’t a popular product among general people. When Apple got into the smartwatch market in April 2015, it became a usual product amongst consumers, and every other smartwatch manufacturer started to deliver more and more watches on the market. And then there was the AirPods. Even though some TWS earphones were available on the market, they were less common but when apple introduced their first AirPods back in December 2016, you know the story after!
According to famous leakster and YouTuber Jon Prosser, the next big Apple product could be a pair of glasses called the AirGlass, which might just be the future of augmented reality. AR blends the real world with the virtual one. From an article by Apple Insider, AirGlass can bring information from your phone or Apple Watch to your face so you’ll be able to see texts, emails, and more on both lenses without anyone else around you being able to see what’s on your screen. While Gizmochina reported that, the Apple AR Glasses could be controlled with eye gestures. In another report, Apple Insider reported that the patent also describes how the device could recognize blinking, smiling, or raising your eyebrows by tracking the attached light sensors’ movement. Typically, an augmented reality experience would require cameras to make sense of the surroundings.
If Apple AirGlass genuinely becomes a reality, it can revolutionize personalization & marketing simultaneously! How? Well, Apple provides a handful of subscription services and with AirGlass, you’ll be able to enjoy content right in front of your eyes and not just content you may also chat, communicate with others, or complete multiple tasks by just moving your eyes.
Now onto the marketing part, imagine you are looking at a new pair of shoes which costs about 100$ and then a specific ad pops up telling you that you can get that same shoe from a reputed online store by spending just 90 bucks, awesome right? They may also play a great role in navigation also like showing you turn by turn navigation, showing you the exact floor, your favorite restaurant is on when you just simply look at the building. The numbers of people with glasses are huge and the impact will be massive as now you can already imagine!
Let’s talk about some connectivity. According to Apple Insider, just like the AirPods, the Apple AirGlass will connect to the iPhone. Since the phone does the processing, the Apple AR Glasses won’t have as much material packed into them – keeping them slim, lightweight, and less expensive.
One of the major problems with Google Glass was that it was $1,500. If we look at the first generation of some Apple products that became a smashing success, they were significantly less. The iPad launched at $499. The Apple Watch started at $349. So, it wouldn’t be surprising for Apple AR Glasses to be priced around a similar range. Those with prescription lenses will cost slightly more – if they’re even needed. The AirGlass may also include self-correcting lenses that can automatically adjust to suit users’ eyes. There apparently won’t be a version for sunglasses, for now, as tinted lenses would interfere with reading the information properly on-screen. This is just the first-generation model so future ones could come up with a solution. And like the first-generation of any product, it may not have the longest battery life. But every technology gets refined to perfection. Overtime the Apple AirGlass may improve and replace our smartphones making our hands-free & our life more convenient & efficient!
