Roundup on AR Devices and AR Smartglasses April 2021
Augmented-reality glasses are expected to make a comeback. Producers are shifting their efforts toward AR smartglasses technology, says a report featured on the Wall Street Journal by IDC analysts.
While fewer than one million Augmented Reality glasses and headsets are expected to sell this year, the analyst firm IDC projects that sales of AR glasses will skyrocket to 23.4M in 2025, mostly on the business side, meaning for industrial and enterprise customers.
Whilst the consumer side has not been entirely successful as yet, it looks as though producers are betting on the enterprise and industrial customers.
- Facebook‘s AR/VR research division last month showed off its futuristic wristband for controlling AR glasses. The company’s Ray-Ban smart glasses will arrive later this year, though they won’t have an integrated display. They’re considered a precursor to future glasses with full augmented-reality features.
- Last week, Niantic CEO John Hanke teased what appears to be a see-through headset or smart glasses; he said the company is working on “new kinds of devices” that leverage its augmented-reality platform. (The WSJ reports that Niantic is developing AR glasses with chipmaker Qualcomm.)
- Apple is expected to reveal its $1,000+ AR/VR headset in the next several months, possibly during Apple’s virtual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. They’re a forerunner to Apple’s more complicated AR glasses, due out by 2025.
- Snap, which already sells its Spectacles smart glasses with a camera but no display, is expected to reveal its AR glasses in May at its Partner Summit. After that, Snap will ship the glasses to developers and creators.
- Google opened up its Glass Enterprise Edition 2 AR headset, geared toward businesses and developers, for direct purchase last year. Now, the WSJ reports that Google is “likely to try a consumer play again” in the AR space.
- While fewer than 1M AR glasses and headsets are expected to sell this year, IDC projects that will skyrocket to 23.4M in 2025, mostly on the business side:
You can read all about it in the original article on the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-apple-and-niantic-bet-people-are-ready-for-augmented-reality-glasses-11617713387