Apple is considering creating its own digital glasses as part of a further push into wearable technology, Bloomberg reports. People familiar with the matter said the company is in the “exploration phase” with the glasses, which would pair wirelessly with an iPhone to display images and possibly project augmented reality elements into the user’s field of vision.
Apple recently patented an augmented reality mapping system, and KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expects the company to begin integrating AR into its existing product lines within the next few years.
Sources said Apple has ordered “small quantities of near-eye displays” for testing purposes, but hasn’t committed to any large scale orders that would hint at mass producing the product yet. Other people familiar with the discussions said even if Apple were to proceed with the glasses, customers wouldn’t see them until 2018 at the earliest.
CEO Tim Cook has said AR will likely become a “core technology” for the company, telling an audience that unlike the much more immersive virtual reality, AR has the potential to integrate seamlessly into daily life. “I can’t imagine everyone in here getting in an enclosed VR experience while you’re sitting in here with me, but I could imagine everyone in here in an AR experience right now,” he said.
