Rumour: Apple and Carl Zeiss Working on AR Glasses for 2018 Launch

[Maura]

According to a new report from AR/VR expert Robert Scoble, via AppleInsider, Apple has teamed up with optics maker Carl Zeiss to work on a pair of augmented reality/mixed reality glasses that could be launched as soon as next year.

Scoble says that the fact that the Zeiss booth at CES this year did not feature any AR, VR, or mixed-reality optics on display, despite being in the centre of the AR section, could be because of the company’s partnership with Apple, with Apple possibly not wanting Zeiss to show any of its AR or VR products until any deal is either finalized or scrapped.

Zeiss is the manufacturer of the VR One Plus headset, which can turn a smartphone into a VR or AR system.

It’s no secret that Apple is interested in AR, more so than VR, in fact, with Apple CEO Tim Cook saying last year that “we are high on AR for the long run, we think there’s great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity. So we’re investing.”

Apple is particularly interested in AR following the massive success of AR-based game Pokémon Go.

Source: Rumor: Apple working with Carl Zeiss on AR glasses to debut in 2018