'Glasses': Apple's Latest Product, Digital Spectacles For Augmented Reality Combining The Physical & Digital World

Apple is on the spot for this new technological advancement in the field of augmented reality. The "Glasses" invention patent is already in the archives of the Patent and Licensing Office. The technology was first filed by augmented reality company, Metaio, a 2015 startup company. Patently Apple, a website handling apple inventions and patents came across of the digital spectacles.

Apple's next big product and its future

Apple has many patents on its list, but the "Glasses" that is in speculation for several years, has come to fruition. It was a year ago when Apple began a deeper investigation of a computer product introducing it as consumer gadget. More resources and funding are spent on this latest Apple patent.

Tech Guru Robert Scoble reiterates that Apple is working overtime on the "glasses" advancement and expects the product's release together with the 2017 iPhone line up. Apple CEO Tim Cook calls the "glasses" a profound invention and is very optimistic about it. Cook understands that the augmented reality has more value than the virtual reality technology, reports MacRumors.

Augmented reality and its huge opportunities

Virtual Reality is a 3D video entertainment popping out from a headset transporting the video gamer in a 360 degree realm of action depicting a virtual world. Unlike the virtual reality imagination, the augmented reality is based on the real world in comparison to the invented one of VR. Instead of providing an imaginary environment, AR utilizes the real world using screens or transparent lenses and feature digital items on top of them.

The feature delivers the real world images with sensitive digital information like looking at a subway station and acquiring train trip schedules displayed in the digital glasses. Or a walk down the food store and access the ingredients of a recommended recipe. These are just the tip of what the "glasses" AR technology can do for the consumer, reports Techradar.

Apple "Glasses" augmented reality predecessors and competitors

While Apple had been busy these past months, other tech giants did not let down with similar patents of their own. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has the "Camera Effects Platform" under his sleeve. The platform is being integrated into FB's other apps that include the Messenger, Whatsapp, and Instagram with an average total of 700 million users every month.

Microsoft has its own version of mixed virtual and augmented realities called the "Hololens". The second version of the hololens will have the integration of an artificial intelligence chip allowing a more efficient and higher performance gadget.

Google has its own "Google Lens," turning the smartphone camera into a search engine. Snapchat and Amazon have their apps integration with consumer products in parallel to the software with augmented reality, reports Fox News.

The tech giants will benefit more in the battle for the AR and VR supremacy. Digi Capital estimates the market could reach up to $108 billion industry by the year 2021, from which $83 billion for the AR will have that chunk of the business.