Where wearable technology is concerned, it’s pretty easy to see that Apple has succeeded where many have failed, at least when it comes to smartwatches. Given that most people are unwilling to pay full price for a full smartwatch, and that Hybrid smartwatches are gaining ground, it’s impressive to see the Apple Watch doing so well when we consider its high price point and limited device support. If recent reports are to be believed, it looks like Apple is to take another leaf out of Google’s book and release their own pair of smart glasses, this time leveraging augmented reality in a more interactive manner.
According to “Apple Inisders” familiar with the matter, the firm is to release a pair of smart glasses, similar to Google Glass, but a pair that will lean more heavily on augmented reality, especially if comments from Tim Cook are to be believed. The Apple CEO has said that “We are high on AR for the long run. We think there are great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity.” during a call with analysts over the Summer, and according to Bloomberg, who first ran the report, it appears as though Apple will be working on this for a long time to come, with a focus to bring it to market no sooner than 2018 at the very earliest. Given the lackluster appeal of new iPhones feeling too familiar since the original unveiling in 2007, and the new MacBook Pro line feeling overpriced than useful, it looks as though Apple is in dire need of a new product to get people excited again.
Whether or not a pair of smart glasses will do the trick remains to be seen, but the recent launch of Snapchat Spectacles does a good job of showing people that there is indeed a market out there for this sort of thing. Perhaps the open and expensive development phase of Google Glass led to its demise, with little “fun” to be had when using a pair, but whatever the case, it looks like Apple is looking to “invent” something Google has already made a go of in the past, and should they succeed, Google will be left wondering why they didn’t stick with Google Glass in the first place.