Apple's secret weapon AR glasses will be on the market in 2022
Li Lida / Taipei 2021-09-22
After Apple released the iPhone 13, it was criticized for nothing new, but now the supply chain rumors that Apple's new generation of secret weapons is expected to debut next year. Agence France-Presse
After Apple released the iPhone 13, it was criticized for nothing new, but the next generation of products that Apple regarded as a secret weapon is expected to appear in 2022. The supply chain revealed that Apple’s first AR headset has completed P2 (the second phase of prototype testing) and is expected to be mass-produced in the second quarter of 2022, and is expected to come out in the second half of the year.
After the iPhone 13 went on sale, there was constant criticism from all sides, and the Bloomberg column even rated it as the weakest upgrade in Apple's history. The supply chain pointed out that as early as the second half of 2020, when the design of the iPhone 13 was finalized, the specifications were determined. After the smartphone entered the mature product period, Apple changed the model slightly and matched the price, and used small steps to increase its specifications. The annual expenditure of 200 million yuan is an established strategy.
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Recent trends in smart glasses from major technology manufacturers
As Apple's next-generation main product, there are two, one is Apple Car, and the other is Apple AR headset. Compared with Apple Car, which is still in the stage of duck paddling, AR glasses have new trends. According to the supply chain, Apple’s AR headset has already completed one P2, and will enter the EVT (Engineering Verification Test) stage before entering mass production. It is expected to be available in the second half of 2022.
The supply chain pointed out that Apple’s AR head-mounted device plans 2 products, one is a high-end model, positioned as a commercial product, containing a camera and a laser optical sensor, weighing about 100-110 grams, and using a 5-nanometer process chip. It still needs to be connected to the iPhone via Bluetooth, and the frame part will be made of high-strength, lightweight magnesium alloy material containing trace rare earth elements.
The industry speculates that due to its relatively high cost of components and initial scale, the price may rise to more than US$2,000. Therefore, Apple positions it as an industrial product. The annual shipment scale is estimated to be 2 million to 250. Wantai, as for another AR product for the general public, the design has not yet been finalized, and it is estimated that mass production will be launched after 2023.
At present, there are many AR glasses on the market, but the market is still in its infancy. IDC estimates that the shipment scale of AR devices in 2020 will be 630,000, while the industry estimates that shipments will only be about 200,000. Epson has the largest annual shipment of more than 20,000 units. If Apple ships 2 million to 2.5 million units by then, it will far exceed the overall market size at this stage.
Even so, compared with Apple’s existing 200 million iPhones, 15 to 20 million MacBooks per year, and 90 million to AirPods, the shipment of 2 million to 2.5 million units is still insignificant, and then continued. The growth potential can be expected. Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly stated that AR will change the way of life of human beings, and he is full of expectations for the development of AR.
It’s just that Apple still insists on its consistent work in the development of AR headsets. Since the development in 2017, the design has undergone countless changes. The original supply chain is rumored to be completed in the first quarter of 2021. P2 is now delayed until the third quarter. Completed, the supply chain pointed out that there was no movement in the original AR headset, and the progress suddenly accelerated in the second half of the third quarter.
Apple converged the design one by one, eliminated some functions and solutions, and tried to find a balance between existing technology, mass production and expectations. It is reported that Apple is still not satisfied with the product, including heat dissipation, weight and battery life, but at this time P2 The end also means that Apple is expected to be listed in the second half of 2022.
Recently, with the topic of "Meta Universe", AR/VR has spread. With 5G and AI, Meta Universe is no longer an unreachable realm of imagination. AR/VR will be a necessary equipment to enter the Meta Universe. Xiaomi and Facebook have been different recently. The launch of AR concept devices and smart glasses, after Apple confirms that it will join the AR battle, is bound to drive a new wave of AR/VR.
Editor in charge: Chen Shichong
