Apple may be working on its own version of Google Glass with German lens manufacturer Carl Zeiss
REUTERS/Beck Diefenbach
Apple has partnered with German lens and optics manufacturer Carl Zeiss AG on a new pair of augmented reality (AR) smart glasses, according to technology blogger Robert Scoble.
Scoble wrote on his Facebook page that an employee from Carl Zeiss AG confirmed rumours that Apple and Carl Zeiss AG are working on "a light pair of augmented reality/mixed reality glasses".
The conversation occurred during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week, Scoble said. It specifically took place at the Zeiss stand in the AR section of CES, according to Scoble.
Facebook/Robert Scoble
"Carl Zeiss is in the AR part of CES," wrote Scoble on Facebook. "But it is NOT showing off its mixed reality optics. Why not? I said 'Tim Cook didn't let you' and the employees around me smiled nervously."
The glasses could be announced by Apple as early as this year, according to Scoble, who wrote that he previously expected Apple to announce them in 2018.
Unlike Google and Snapchat, Apple is yet to release any form of computerised glasses.
If Scoble is right and Apple is planning to release a pair of glasses, it's unclear how they would be positioned versus competitor products or what they would be priced at. Google priced its failed "Glass" product at over £1,000, while Snapchat is currently selling its "Spectacles" in the US for $130 (£100).
Confirmed: Apple and @CarlZeissLenses are working together on augmented reality optics. Details: https://t.co/11bsLQn8GP
- Robert Scoble: VR/AR (@Scobleizer) January 9, 2017
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- One of the world's only 5-star airlines seems to be considering asking business-class passengers to bring their own cutlery
- From terrace to table: 8 Edible plants you can grow in your home
- India fourth largest military spender globally in 2023: SIPRI report
- New study forecasts high chance of record-breaking heat and humidity in India in the coming months
- Gold plunges ₹1,450 to ₹72,200, silver prices dive by ₹2,300
- Strong domestic demand supporting India's growth: Morgan Stanley