Rumor: ‘Apple Glasses’ to sport two 3P pancake lens for a lightweight design

In a note to clients — as noted by MacRumors — analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple’s augmented reality/virtual reality headset will feature two “3P pancake lenses,” which have a folded design that allows light to reflect back and forth between the display and lenses. 

This design for the “Apple Glasses” can allow Apple to release a more compact and lightweight headset, he adds. The analyst also feels that the headset will be released this year, but that, due to upply constraints and other issues will mean that it will only be available in limited quantities until 2023.

When it comes to Apple Glasses, such a device will be a head-mounted display. Or may have a design like “normal” glasses. Or it may be eventually be available in both. The Apple Glasses may or may not have to be tethered to an iPhone to work. Other rumors say that Apple Glasses could have a custom-build Apple chip and a dedicated operating system dubbed “rOS” for “reality operating system.”