Technology companies see augmented reality glasses as a market opportunity to use this technology to display advertisements, sell products, and pursue other profitable opportunities to attract consumers to spend more time in their ecosystems.
Editor’s note: This article is from Tencent News, reviewer: Jiao Han.
Snap company is already selling glasses with cameras, and it is developing consumer-oriented augmented reality glasses.
On April 7th, technology companies such as Facebook, Apple, and Niantic are competing fiercely to accelerate the development of consumer-oriented augmented reality (AR) glasses. Supporters say that this competition will open up a new way for consumers to use technology.
The same thing about these new devices is the use of augmented reality technology to superimpose digital content into the real world. Over the years, augmented reality technology has been used in various smartphone applications, such as the Niantic app and shopping tools that allow people to see things in the living room. Now, technology companies are racing to develop augmented reality glasses. If new products can overcome technical, ethical, and financial barriers, this effort may open up a whole new field of computing in the next few years.
Facebook said last month that it is developing augmented reality glasses (AR glasses), with a wristband that can detect finger movements through built-in sensors. This is Facebook’s latest development in the development of hardware and software supporting augmented reality technology. As a means of transition, the social media company will cooperate with the well-known eyewear brand Ray-Ban this year to release glasses with some technical features.
Niantic CEO John Hanke talked about the planned augmented reality glasses last week. Niantic is cooperating with chip manufacturers to produce related glasses.
Other companies are tight-lipped about their related plans. Apple is also developing augmented reality glasses, and analysts expect related Apple products to be listed as early as next year. The analyst also said that Snap, which is already selling glasses with cameras, is developing consumer-oriented augmented reality glasses.
Google once launched Google Glass in 2013, but ultimately failed to attract the attention of consumers. The company is currently focusing on marketing related equipment to corporate customers, but may again try to release consumer-oriented augmented reality glasses.
Apple, Snap and Google all declined to comment.
The continuous advancement of augmented reality technology reflects the belief of many technical experts that facial computing devices may be a revolutionary product that allows people to find directions on digital maps while continuing to pay attention to the real world , Browse text messages or call up recipes. Technology companies also see augmented reality glasses as a market opportunity to use this technology to display advertisements, sell products, and pursue other profitable opportunities to attract consumers to spend more time in their ecosystems.
Facebook Reality Labs, a research institution of Facebook, focuses on the research of augmented reality and virtual reality technology. Department Vice President Andrew Bosworth said: “The opportunity to create a new era is very exciting. This technology does not exist in my pocket; it is active in my face.”
Virtual reality is a close cousin of augmented reality technology, which can completely isolate the user’s senses from the real world, thereby obtaining an immersive experience.
Early augmented reality consumer products have limitations in technology and design. Those who are accustomed to wearing traditional glasses may not be able to easily adapt to this new device for a while. Analysts say that at least a year later, people will see a fashionable glasses that can be worn all-weather and project digital content through the lens.
At present, the augmented reality headsets and glasses that have appeared on the market are mainly for professionals and business users, rather than ordinary consumers. Microsoft adopted this approach and announced last week a related agreement worth up to 21.9 billion U.S. dollars. Magic Leap, a start-up company that has been developing augmented reality devices, has also adjusted its business, and a Microsoft executive took over as the company’s CEO last year.
In the previous augmented reality glasses, consumers have complained about long battery life and not many available functions, and many functions are already available in smartphones or other technological products. Ramon Llamas, director of augmented and virtual reality research at IDC, a market research firm, said: “Most consumers are satisfied with the technology they currently have access to.”
The industry predicts that the initial acceptance of consumer-centric augmented reality glasses will be slower. Because analysts estimate that the cost of the early product is similar to that of a new high-end smartphone, which may cost at least $1,000.
Sales of Oculus, a virtual reality headset owned by Facebook, are also gradually increasing. According to data from the market research organization IDC, as one of the best-selling virtual reality devices, the global sales of Oculus headsets reached 3.5 million sets in 2020, higher than the 400,000 sets when the device was first released in 2016.
IDC estimates that sales of augmented reality glasses and headsets will beLess than 1 million units, but it is expected to grow to 23.4 million units by 2025, and corporate users will account for about 85% of total sales.
Brian Ballard, CEO of Upskill, an enterprise software manufacturer of augmented reality technology, said that technical obstacles to the production of augmented reality glasses for consumers include extending battery life, minimizing heat output, and satisfying People’s expectations for fashion, comfort and price.
He said: “This is a very difficult combination.” “The entire technology and supply chain of fashionable glasses like the movie “Iron Man” does not currently exist.”
Hank said that Niantic plans to conduct public testing of its augmented reality glasses soon. He expects that with the development of basic technology, market competition will intensify, but he pointed out that the most profitable area of augmented reality will be the software field.
Hank said, “A lot of the attraction of augmented reality technology will come from devices that know the user’s specific location.”
Another challenge facing technology companies that manufacture augmented reality glasses is how to deal with issues such as user privacy and security. Bosworth said that Facebook is seeking advice from technical experts, regulators and consumers in this regard. He said, for example, it’s important to consider how people feel when they talk to or pass by someone wearing augmented reality glasses. Bosworth said, “These devices will be equipped with always-on cameras and microphones.” “This is indeed a technology that requires public discussion, discussing which features are acceptable and which are not acceptable.”
According to people familiar with Facebook’s plan, the company is investing heavily in recruiting top talents in augmented reality and virtual reality. A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment on the scale of the company’s investment in augmented reality and virtual reality and the company’s recruitment strategy in these areas.