Did Apple learn nothing from the Google “glass-hole” debacle? The issue with these isn’t technical, it’s social. The backlash against people wearing cameras on their faces in public spaces was a genuine phenomenon and a notable Internet meme. These will get banned by businesses and in many public places where people will fear being recorded and photographed. And wearing them will create an “us against them” dynamic that will undoubtedly boil over into physical altercations. When combined with the complexity of providing multiple styles, and the high replacement cost, I think these thing have a limited future. No better than Apple Watch, and probably much, much worse.
It used to be that wearing a mask into a bank would get you tackled or shot. Now you get tackled for not wearing one, so norms can change pretty quick.
I don’t understand how a product like this will accommodate people with varying degrees of vision. I wear contact lenses for distance but use readers for up close vision. There is no way I could see something on a screen a half inch away from my pupil. I would need the readers or have to take out my contact lenses because I have pretty good nearsighted ability.
You don't focus a half inch away. You focus on things in the distance and the AR imagery appears as if it's, say a few meters in front of you along with whatever else you're looking at. Focusing a half inch away would cancel out the "reality" part of "augmented reality" as you'd basically be crosseyed. AR lenses use prisms and mirrors to project images from a microLED to your eyes.
Here's a good example product that is probably similar to what Apple is developing:
Depth of Field: Typical AR headsets relay the image to one or two discrete focal planes. This results in what is called “accommodation-vergence mismatch” - for example, depth cues and parallax may suggest that a virtual object is six feet away, but the wearer’s eyes are need to focus 1 foot away to see a sharp image. Accommodation-vergence mismatch can lead to eyestrain and discomfort after prolonged periods of usage. A select few technologies (our’s and Letinar’s pin mirrors) have unlimited depth of field - the in-focus regions extends from a few centimeters in front of the wearer all the way to infinity.
Thanks for the valuable information. I’m an old timer and this is so far beyond my comprehension. There must really be some great minds involved in this technology.
Will be interesting to see why they do with styles. With the watch, they did 2 sizes, 2-3 materials, and put most of the styling options in the replaceable bands.
I could easily see a similar system with this, multiple frame sizes, 2-3 materials. Maybe even more than one shape?
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
Will be interesting to see why they do with styles. With the watch, they did 2 sizes, 2-3 materials, and put most of the styling options in the replaceable bands.
I could easily see a similar system with this, multiple frame sizes, 2-3 materials. Maybe even more than one shape?
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
That's where buying a company like Warby Parker would make a lot of sense. So many possibilities, plus all of that vision data would really open their eyes to that sector of the health industry.
Will be interesting to see why they do with styles. With the watch, they did 2 sizes, 2-3 materials, and put most of the styling options in the replaceable bands.
I could easily see a similar system with this, multiple frame sizes, 2-3 materials. Maybe even more than one shape?
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
That's where buying a company like Warby Parker would make a lot of sense. So many possibilities, plus all of that vision data would really open their eyes to that sector of the health industry.
Warby Parker isn’t a manufacturer. They’re just an online retailer.
Will be interesting to see why they do with styles. With the watch, they did 2 sizes, 2-3 materials, and put most of the styling options in the replaceable bands.
I could easily see a similar system with this, multiple frame sizes, 2-3 materials. Maybe even more than one shape?
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
That's where buying a company like Warby Parker would make a lot of sense. So many possibilities, plus all of that vision data would really open their eyes to that sector of the health industry.
Warby Parker would bring them nothing they can’t easily do themselves. There’s nothing special about Warby Parker glasses.
Will be interesting to see why they do with styles. With the watch, they did 2 sizes, 2-3 materials, and put most of the styling options in the replaceable bands.
I could easily see a similar system with this, multiple frame sizes, 2-3 materials. Maybe even more than one shape?
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
That's where buying a company like Warby Parker would make a lot of sense. So many possibilities, plus all of that vision data would really open their eyes to that sector of the health industry.
Warby Parker isn’t a manufacturer. They’re just an online retailer.
Will be interesting to see why they do with styles. With the watch, they did 2 sizes, 2-3 materials, and put most of the styling options in the replaceable bands.
I could easily see a similar system with this, multiple frame sizes, 2-3 materials. Maybe even more than one shape?
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
That's where buying a company like Warby Parker would make a lot of sense. So many possibilities, plus all of that vision data would really open their eyes to that sector of the health industry.
Warby Parker would bring them nothing they can’t easily do themselves. There’s nothing special about Warby Parker glasses.
They also have brick and mortar stores, with lots of knowledgeable opticians. Nothing special about their glasses but they have a good amount of stylish frames. Every time I have gone into one (which the one I go to is right up the street from an Apple Store) it is always packed with people, much like an Apple Store.
Will be interesting to see why they do with styles. With the watch, they did 2 sizes, 2-3 materials, and put most of the styling options in the replaceable bands.
I could easily see a similar system with this, multiple frame sizes, 2-3 materials. Maybe even more than one shape?
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
That's where buying a company like Warby Parker would make a lot of sense. So many possibilities, plus all of that vision data would really open their eyes to that sector of the health industry.
Warby Parker isn’t a manufacturer. They’re just an online retailer.
Will be interesting to see why they do with styles. With the watch, they did 2 sizes, 2-3 materials, and put most of the styling options in the replaceable bands.
I could easily see a similar system with this, multiple frame sizes, 2-3 materials. Maybe even more than one shape?
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
That's where buying a company like Warby Parker would make a lot of sense. So many possibilities, plus all of that vision data would really open their eyes to that sector of the health industry.
Warby Parker would bring them nothing they can’t easily do themselves. There’s nothing special about Warby Parker glasses.
They also have brick and mortar stores, with lots of knowledgeable opticians. Nothing special about their glasses but they have a good amount of stylish frames. Every time I have gone into one (which the one I go to is right up the street from an Apple Store) it is always packed with people, much like an Apple Store.
Apple doesn't need brick and mortar stores, for obvious reasons. They don't need opticians, either — you think you'd be getting your initial glasses prescription from Apple? "A good amount of stylish frames" is not useful as they're going to have design their AR glasses from scratch. It's packed with people because they're relatively cheap and have been marketing like crazy, but none of that benefits Apple.
$500 plus at least $200 for progressive bifocal lenses... these are going to be expensive!
I’m among the people who don’t really see a use beyond the ‘gee whiz’ factor for most people, but like Mike said, we’ll see. Apple did an incredible job making the Apple Watch something you didn’t know you needed but then couldn’t live without as soon as you had one. Maybe these will be the same.
JinTech said: That's where buying a company like Warby Parker would make a lot of sense. So many possibilities, plus all of that vision data would really open their eyes to that sector of the health industry.
I think it would be the end of them if they tried pulling that kind of thing off. They have a hard enough time with a few models and a few variants.
... I’m among the people who don’t really see a use beyond the ‘gee whiz’ factor for most people, but like Mike said, we’ll see. Apple did an incredible job making the Apple Watch something you didn’t know you needed but then couldn’t live without as soon as you had one. Maybe these will be the same.
Well, I still content the Apple Watch was mostly just a fancy accessory until the health aspect hit (and then maybe cellular). That is something I didn't see coming, and neither did Apple. Maybe there will be some 'killer app' for the glasses, but until that is the case, I think it is even one step further down the fancy accessory chain.
And, like I said (and wrote about) before the Apple Watch launched, that doesn't mean it will be a failure. If you sell some small double-digit-millions of something, it is a success on some level. It just depends on context.
Here's a good example product that is probably similar to what Apple is developing: https://www.kura.tech
I have been sort of reluctant to truly get excited about AR, having tried both Holo Lens and Magic Leap… which both are so incredibly inferior and disappointing. But having seen the videos of the working headset from KURA that you posted, I'm much more positive towards AR. That is looking legit. If the experience on Apple's glasses is gonna be like what Kura is doing, then it could be incredibly interesting.
Apart from cool demos, I can imagine Apple bringing medical, disabilities, navigation, perhaps a whole revised car-play, safety, and perhaps most of all they'll discuss how to keep privacy in check with AR, by simply not using a photographic camera. Perhaps a whole eyes-only way of navigating a lot of advanced functionality, for people with physical disabilities.
Killer app? I hate to say this… but… hands-free iPhone navigation?
Here's a good example product that is probably similar to what Apple is developing: https://www.kura.tech
I have been sort of reluctant to truly get excited about AR, having tried both Holo Lens and Magic Leap… which both are so incredibly inferior and disappointing. But having seen the videos of the working headset from KURA that you posted, I'm much more positive towards AR. That is looking legit. If the experience on Apple's glasses is gonna be like what Kura is doing, then it could be incredibly interesting.
Apart from cool demos, I can imagine Apple bringing medical, disabilities, navigation, perhaps a whole revised car-play, safety, and perhaps most of all they'll discuss how to keep privacy in check with AR, by simply not using a photographic camera. Perhaps a whole eyes-only way of navigating a lot of advanced functionality, for people with physical disabilities.
Killer app? I hate to say this… but… hands-free iPhone navigation?
But yeah it has many potential applications. I dug up these hardware examples because people look at the clunky headset drawings in patent filings or the stupid Magic Leap headset and can't imagine real world applications that wouldn't be stupid, when there're clearly better real world examples to draw inspiration from.
Apple's AR glasses will be "like" Kura's in the same way the iPod was "like" a Rio.
Comments
Glasses are even more personal than watches, so there’s no version of this where Apple just releases one weirdo version like Google Glass
I’m among the people who don’t really see a use beyond the ‘gee whiz’ factor for most people, but like Mike said, we’ll see. Apple did an incredible job making the Apple Watch something you didn’t know you needed but then couldn’t live without as soon as you had one. Maybe these will be the same.
Well, I still content the Apple Watch was mostly just a fancy accessory until the health aspect hit (and then maybe cellular). That is something I didn't see coming, and neither did Apple. Maybe there will be some 'killer app' for the glasses, but until that is the case, I think it is even one step further down the fancy accessory chain.
And, like I said (and wrote about) before the Apple Watch launched, that doesn't mean it will be a failure. If you sell some small double-digit-millions of something, it is a success on some level. It just depends on context.
Apart from cool demos, I can imagine Apple bringing medical, disabilities, navigation, perhaps a whole revised car-play, safety, and perhaps most of all they'll discuss how to keep privacy in check with AR, by simply not using a photographic camera. Perhaps a whole eyes-only way of navigating a lot of advanced functionality, for people with physical disabilities.
Killer app? I hate to say this… but… hands-free iPhone navigation?
https://everysight.com
But yeah it has many potential applications. I dug up these hardware examples because people look at the clunky headset drawings in patent filings or the stupid Magic Leap headset and can't imagine real world applications that wouldn't be stupid, when there're clearly better real world examples to draw inspiration from.
Apple's AR glasses will be "like" Kura's in the same way the iPod was "like" a Rio.