The “Apple Glasses” — the rumored augmented reality/virtual reality headset —will incorporate 14 cameras and other features, according to a new report from The Information. The article says Jony Ive, Apple’s former head of design, is still involved in the project, which has lots of challenges.
About the report
From The Information (you’ll need a subscription to read the entire report): One person familiar with the matter said Ive’s consulting work for Apple since he left includes the headset, adding that he is often brought in to help his former team push through their preferences in areas such as battery, camera placement and ergonomics over those of engineers. Two people said even after Ive left Apple, some employees on the headset project were still required to make the trek from Cupertino to San Francisco, where Ive has a home, to get his approval on changes.
Ive has continued to tweak the headset’s design. While earlier prototypes had the battery in the headband, he prefers a design that would tether the headset to a battery the user wears, similar to Magic Leap’s headset design. It couldn’t be learned if this approach will make it into the final design.
Four people who have worked on the project also criticized its lack of focus on gaming, a category of software that appeals to early adopters, which was important to the success of the iPhone and has been a big priority for Meta’s VR group. Those people said Rockwell’s group almost never mentioned games in internal presentations about possible uses for the headset. Apple isn’t developing game controllers for the device and is aiming to use hand tracking or in combination with a clothespin-like finger clip as inputs for the device, multiple people familiar with the project say.
Ive’s History at Apple
Ive joined Apple in September 1992. After several years of designing the interface aspects of Apple products he was promoted to senior vice president of Industrial Design in the late 1990s. Ive helped design the iMac, iPad, MacBook, and other products.
He also helped design Apple’s major architectural projects, such as Apple Park and Apple Stores.Apple announced in October 2012 that Ive would “provide leadership and direction for Human Interface (HI) across the company in addition to his role as the leader of Industrial Design.
Apple announced in June 2019 that Ive was departing the company as an employee to form an independent design company called LoveFrom that will count Apple among its clients. At the time CEO Tim Cook said the new company would continue to work with Apple. (LoveFrom is rumored to have been involved with the design of the 24-inch iMac.)
About Apple Glasses
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.”
