Apple CEO Tim Cook Saw The Company’s AR Glasses As A ‘Key Objective’ But The Technology Was ‘Too Elusive’

The Apple Vision Pro is certainly the company’s most ambitious product to date, revealing how it envisions the future of mixed reality, but for the majority of consumers, it is too expensive and is cumbersome to have it attached to someone’s head at all times and during the day. Though Apple likely has plans to introduce a pair of AR glasses that will solve all the grievances of current-generation AR headsets, that future will take years to reach fruition, with one report implying that the technology giant’s cancellation of this product was a setback for CEO Tim Cook.

Earlier reports also stated that the physical size of AR glasses prevents current-generation technology from being found inside without bringing immense compromises

In the latest ‘Power On’ newsletter from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the superiority of AR glasses being able to deliver an improved experience is a part of a lengthy discussion. Gurman states that instead of relying on large devices with passthrough cameras and screens, data can be displayed on lenses. Best of all, thanks to the lightweight design, these AR glasses can be worn all day, and the person will not look ridiculous.

“In the long run, many of these problems could be solved by shifting from mixed reality to standalone augmented reality. It’s a bit counterintuitive on the surface, but lightweight AR glasses would make for a superior experience compared with mixing both AR and VR. Data will be overlaid on clear lenses, rather than relying on bulky passthrough cameras and VR screens. And, ideally, you could wear the glasses all day.”

Unfortunately, even for a trillion-dollar company like Apple, developing a pair of AR glasses is more than an uphill battle. Previously, it was reported that the technology does not exist to be incorporated into a pair of smart glasses, as such devices would require chips that consume just 10 percent of the power that Apple’s latest A-series iPhone SoC utilizes to overcome overheating. Naturally, development on this product had to be abandoned, with an unnamed employee stating that the team kept working on it to keep Tim Cook happy.

It appears that Tim Cook viewed AR glasses as the next stepping stone in bringing mixed and virtual reality to a single product, and most importantly, these spectacles would overcome nearly every limitation of the Apple Vision Pro. Unfortunately, with the technology aspect creating insurmountable hurdles for the company, it will take a while before these materialize.

“But developing true AR spectacles is easier said than done. A year ago, Apple all but stopped formal work on standalone AR glasses because the technology was too elusive. It was a particular setback for Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook, who saw AR spectacles as a key objective.”

Even if Apple somehow overcame the technological limitations, the pricing variable for a first-generation product will wreak havoc on the consumer’s wallet. The $3,499 price tag of the Apple Vision Pro is sufficient evidence that the AR headset will not gain much traction in terms of annual shipments, so making such hardware affordable is the first barrier that needs to be scaled properly to face the next challenge.

Written by Omar Sohail