This Monday, Apple is likely to present the first real new product since the Apple Watch.
(Photo: imago images/Xinhua)
Dusseldorf This Monday evening, Apple wants to usher in a new era. At the developer conference WWDC (“Worldwide Developers Conference”) on the company campus in Cupertino, the group’s first new product in almost a decade will most likely be presented: a so-called mixed reality headset, with which customers can enter virtual reality (“Virtual Reality”, VR) and can also project digital content into the real world (“Augmented Reality”, AR).
The glasses should overshadow other announcements at the five-day conference such as the new operating system software iOS 17 or the new Macbook Air. Because it is not only the first new product since the Apple Watch, but also represents a trend-setting decision by CEO Tim Cook.
The manager takes a risk with the novelty. Meta Quest, Sony PS VR or Google Glass – the list of VR and AR glasses that have had little or no success is long.
That could change with Apple’s entry into the market. The brand has great appeal to consumers who could shed their previously strong reservations. However, Apple is also proceeding cautiously and downplaying expectations.
Nothing is officially known about the Apple glasses, but some statements can already be made on the basis of patent applications and insider reports. Here are the most important questions and answers.
What glasses will Apple offer?
Apple is launching a headset that could be called Reality Pro, Reality One or XR Pro. The operating system of the glasses should be called xrOS. The Apple headset should look like ski goggles. The monitor that the user is looking at should have a high 4K image resolution. Like high-end televisions, it is said to have a brightness of 5000 nits, which can compensate for washed-out colors in bright sunshine, for example.
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Instructions are possible by hand or eye movement. The voice assistant Siri is also available. There are multiple cameras and microphones, as well as an external monitor that shows the user’s face.
What can you do with Apple glasses?
The apps available should be similar to those on the iPhone or iPad. In US media, for example, there are reports of a communication app that is similar to Facetime.
Users of the glasses can switch from VR to AR mode. Video conferencing rooms are offered in which users can interact with realistic-looking avatars and write together on a digital board.
So far, none of the devices on the market has achieved a resounding success.
(Photo: IMAGO/Cover Images)
According to Apple insider Marc Gruzman, you can also connect the glasses to your iPhone or other Apple devices and use them as an external monitor.
How expensive is the Apple headset?
The glasses are said to cost $3,000, which is expensive – the competing model Meta Quest Pro, for example, is available for $1,000. Apple’s main goal is to keep the glasses light and functional. It is made of glass, carbon fiber and aluminum and is powered by an external battery via a cable.
Apple is deliberately taking it slowly to understand what customers want and what apps developers are offering. The glasses should be available in autumn at the earliest. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International assumes that up to 300,000 copies will be sold in the first year. That’s almost nothing compared to the iPhone, which sells 200 million units a year.
Why is Apple introducing the glasses now?
Apple not only wants to sell the glasses, but also encourage developers to program apps for the new device, similar to the iPhone or the Apple Watch. Therefore, the headset will be presented at the “Worldwide Developers Conference”.
The more apps are available, the more attractive hardware is. However, Apple will certainly also present its own new apps for the glasses.
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