Analyst predicts Apple AR headset launch around Q4 2019 – Q2 2020, device would rely heavily on iPhone for computing power

A few assorted tidbits have dropped about Apple’s widely reported development of an Augmented Reality (AR) glasses/headset product, and they’re pretty interesting.

On Friday, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple’s first augmented reality product will go into mass production as soon as the fourth quarter of this year, but hedges the timeframe slightly and says it will be mass-produced by the second quarter of 2020 at the latest.

Kuo says that Apple’s first-generation of AR glasses will be heavily dependent on the iPhone.

In short, the AR glasses will essentially act as a display only, while the actual workload of computing, rendering, Internet connectivity, and location services will be handled by the iPhone. It’s thought that the devices will pair wirelessly, as seen with the iPhone and the Apple Watch, although the research note did not state that specifically.

Should this be the case, Apple would be able to create a much lighter, more comfortable headset than a unit that has to handle all of its own functionality, as seen with headsets like the Oculus Go. This also raises questions as to how much this would drain the iPhone’s battery life while in use. Apple would also have to perfect the display, along with companion depth sensors.

The timeline matches up with previously published reports, and it’s thought that a 2020 launch has reportedly been set as an aggressive internal target.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

Via 9to5Mac