Apple Will Use ARKit as Foundation for Smart Glasses: UBS Analyst

UBS analyst Steven Milunovich has issued an investor note today, where he claims that Apple will released a pair of smart glasses, perhaps called “iGlass”.

Echoing previous reports, Milunovich said that the device will be loaded with advanced sensors and technologies. These technologies will presumably first appear on the iPhone and then make their way into the glasses.

Milunovich likened the experience of Apple’s smart glasses to that of Microsoft’s Hololens. In the investor’s note, Milunovich said:

“Advanced sensors and camera capabilities will enhance the iPhone; eventually there could be independent hardware offerings, perhaps iGlass. We can imagine a pair of glasses with quintessential Apple design (iGlass), which enable a Hololens-type experience.

However, the amount of compute power and sensors required likely pose a serious design challenge. If Apple could find a way to send massive amounts of data from the eyeglasses to the iPhone where the bulk of the compute would occur, the eyewear could have a more attractive design. The issue then becomes how to transfer massive amounts of complex data between devices quickly.”

Apple will likely face a lot of challenges when designing and manufacturing the smart glasses. However, with the companies release of ARKit, we can be sure that the platform will have a thriving ecosystem at launch.

[via CNBC]