Skip to main content

Apple reportedly canceled development of its augmented reality glasses

It looks like Apple may have run into some walls with the development of its augmented reality glasses. According to a new report from DigiTimes, Apple “terminated” the development of the new glasses. The report also notes that Apple has instead “temporarily stopped” developing the new tech, so it’s unknown if Apple will revisit the idea in the near future or not. It’s also important to note that a number of reports cast doubt on the idea that Apple has canceled the project, so it’s possible that the report isn’t true at all.

Over the past few months, multiple outlets have reported that Apple is working on developing its own augmented reality glasses, including insiders like analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. The DigiTimes report, however, suggests that the team working on the new glasses was disbanded back in May and assigned to different teams.

Related Videos

So what caused the end of the project? According to DigiTimes, the beginning of the end was when Apple designer Avi Bar-Zeev left his job leading the AR glasses team in January. Previously, Bar-Zeev was known for co-creating the Microsoft HoloLens glasses.

If Apple released a pair of augmented reality glasses, they would likely work with the iPhone, similar to the Apple Watch when it first launched. Some reports noted that the glasses would be a stand-alone device, however, more recent reports noted that they will rely on the iPhone to handle most of their computing.

Of course, Apple wouldn’t be the first to release a pair of augmented reality glasses, but it might be the first to bring the idea to the mainstream. The likes of Microsoft, with the HoloLens glasses, and Magic Leap, with the Magic Leap One smart glasses, have already explored the concept of augmented reality — albeit in a somewhat bulky and uncomfortable form. Apple’s glasses would reportedly be a similar size to normal eyeglasses, with a slightly bigger frame to accommodate for the device’s internals.

In March, Kuo reported that the augmented reality glasses were nearing the production stage and could be released in 2020. If Apple does end up releasing AR glasses, we’ll have to wait and see exactly when they show up.

Editors' Recommendations

These Android apps are spying on you — and there’s no easy way to stop them
Illustration of a giant eye stalking through a phone

Android’s security woes need no introduction, but another threat that hasn’t received its fair share of awareness relates to spyware and stalkerware apps. These apps can secretly be installed on a victim’s phone to monitor their activity and can be exploited to harass victims of domestic abuse and engage in online stalking. All someone needs is physical access to the victim's phone to install these apps, which is not too difficult in cases of domestic abuse.

Call it an app-fueled version of AirTag stalking, but on steroids, because these spyware apps can steal everything including messages, call logs, emails, photos, and videos. Some can even activate the microphone and the camera, and secretly transfer these recordings to a remote server where the abuser can access it. Since Google Play's policies don't allow stalking apps, these apps are sold via third-party websites and need to be sideloaded.

Read more
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 may get a feature we’ve never seen before
Render of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with two cover screens.

As we get closer to the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, details have started surfacing more regularly. In February, we learned that the cover display will be much larger than the one found on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Now, rumors seem to suggest that the new foldable will be the first of its kind sporting two discrete cover displays.

According to renders shared in a recent video by mobile insider SuperRoader, the Galaxy Z Flip 5's dual cover screens will greatly differentiate the foldable from the rest of its kind. The two screens are vastly different in size, and seem to serve two distinct functions.

Read more
You can now try the OnePlus 11 for free for 100 days — here’s how
Someone holding the OnePlus 11.

Buying a new smartphone is always a gamble in terms of customer satisfaction — mainly because they cost so much and can be so different from the device that the buyer is currently using.

To combat this, OnePlus is giving customers the chance to try the OnePlus 11 entirely risk-free. Starting today, the company is running the "100 Days No Regret" program, which allows OnePlus 11 buyers to use the new flagship for up to 100 days and still be eligible to return it for a full refund.

Read more