Apple's AR glasses won't be released in 2020, but they are getting closer to reality

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• Apple's AR glasses won't be released in 2020, but they are getting closer to reality

Apple has confirmed that it has acquired virtual reality content startup NextVR, which should help its alleged long-standing efforts to launch an AR/VR product, according to Bloomberg. NextVR has signed content licensing agreements with sports leagues, including the NBA and Fox Sports. Although the startup didn't have its own VR headset, its experience delivering VR content to users could help Apple design its own headset or goggles, which the company has been building for years. The first of these AR/VR products to come out could be the Apple AR glasses, but don't expect them to launch before at least 2022, according to a separate report citing celebrity analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Bullish rumor has suggested a 2020 release date for the Apple AR glasses, though the last hint we heard in November suggested an augmented reality headset would arrive in 2022, followed by the proper AR glasses in 2023. But the corroboration by Ming -Chi Kuo gives more weight to a version that is two years away. Kuo's 2022 prediction is based on supply chain information from SIG, which would have been Apple's partner for AR lens layering, according to a research note seen by AppleInsider. Layering costs for what he would have called "Apple glasses" will likely be high, since multiple layers are needed to achieve an "innovative MR/AR user experience."

AR glasses, now closer to reality

Patents dating back to 2015 have indicated Apple's interest in augmented and virtual reality, and rumors suggest the company is developing head-mounted products for one or both of these applications. Reports in recent years have favored AR glasses, though they come mostly from analysts and supply chain monitors, which could mean a product isn't close enough to the consumer outlet to flee. Alternatively, Apple's trademark secrecy could simply keep development under wraps. What the two reports indicate is that Apple is still investing in AR and VR, and even if that doesn't translate to years of product, its acquisition could pay off in other devices, such as its long-lasting improvements to reality apps. augmented, its iPhone and iPad lines.