Apple's Augmented Reality Glasses Again Rumored for 2021 Launch

Apple's rumored augmented reality glasses will launch in 2021, with "small-volume" production expected to start in the first half of the year, according to paywalled information shared by DigiTimes.

Apple Glass

Apple to roll out AR glasses in 2021

Apple is expected to roll out its augmented reality glasses in 2021, according to sources at related suppliers, which are gearing up to kick off small-volume production for the device in the first half of the year.

The full report will not be published until tomorrow and the brief excerpt offers no further information, but it comes on the heels of an extensive report earlier this week from Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser detailing what he has heard about the glasses.

Prosser says the glasses will be called "Apple Glass" and start at $499, with prescription lenses available for an additional cost. In line with previous rumors, he says Apple Glass will rely on a paired iPhone for most of its functionality, allowing the glasses themselves to be as slim and light as possible.

According to Prosser's sources, Apple's original plans involved unveiling Apple Glass at the annual ‌iPhone‌ event in September or October, but restrictions on in-person gatherings could push the debut back to a March 2021 event. Either way, Apple was said to be targeting a late 2021 or early 2022 launch, which lines up with today's report from DigiTimes.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

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Top Rated Comments

yaxomoxay Avatar
63 months ago
"Hey Siri, show everyone's names."
"Showing everyone naked."
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
63 months ago

What exactly will these glasses "augment"? I don't understand the selling point here at all.
Me neither, but seeing as how the product hasn't even been released yet, that's expected.

We're currently at the "Why would Apple release an MP3 player? Those are terrible and clunky" point of product speculation, but we lack the benefit of hindsight.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
krazzix Avatar
63 months ago
For anyone not able to understand how AR glasses are going to benefit you, these are some thing I (and others) came up with that would actually be useful for me:


* Having a recipe floating in front of you while cooking, leaving your hands free
* Having your grocery shopping list in front of you, leaving your hands free
* Navigation like you're in a video game
* Project a screen anywhere and watch a movie
* Project a screen anywhere and play a video game (with a controller probably)
* Project a screen anywhere and do cloud computing (Full MacOS experience) if you bring your mouse and keyboard
* Browse and listen to music (i.c.w. AirPods, doubt glasses will have speakers)
* Enhanced family board games, D&D, we've seen this stuff before with AR kit, but way more convenient and cool with glasses instead holding an iPad/iPhone
* Browsing the web anywhere, anytime, handsfree, no need to pull out your phone
* Reading books handsfree
* Decorate your house (or anything anywhere) digitally
* Automatic translation when someone speaks to you in another language
* Magnify/increase contrast/provide light for hard to read things
* Identify trees/flowers/animals etc.
* Glasses + Airtags. Getting on-screen markers for that thing you are looking for.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ultramove69 Avatar
63 months ago
I want this in a monocle
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AyeKay15 Avatar
63 months ago
Will this turn me into Samus Aran so I can fight the coronavirus?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
63 months ago

What exactly will these glasses "augment"? I don't understand the selling point here at all.
Who knows. It certainly makes us closer into making some Black Mirror episodes a reality.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)