The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) says this ain’t gonna happen: TrendForce predicts that “considering hardware performance requirements and gross profit margins, when it comes to the rumored “Apple Glasses,” Apple will likely target the commercial market and adopt the same pricing strategy as HoloLens.
The research group says to expect hardware priced in the thousands of dollars and a monthly subscription-based software solution. I do think Apple’s augmented reality/virtual reality will cost thousands of dollars as TrendForce predicts (most estimates have the first model costing about $2,000). However, I see no advantage for Apple to have any sort of monthly subscription plan.
When it comes to Apple Glasses, such a device will arrive in late 2022 or 2023, depending on which rumor you believe. It 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.”
