'Project Mirrorshades' could be on the ropes
Details surrounding Apple’s augmented reality smartglasses and Siri speaker have emerged online, with alleged Foxconn insiders taking to Reddit to spill information regarding specs, release dates and prices.
The drop comes within hours of Apple’s WWDC event, which is widely expected to be headlined by the announcement of the smart home speaker. According to the leakers, however, the device isn’t actually scheduled to be released into the wild until late 2017, due to Hon Hai losing the manufacturing contract earlier this year.
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One of the leakers admitted a design hasn’t been seen in months, though three have been tested — including one without a screen, and one without a camera — that offer a similar form to the Mac Pro, despite being smaller. And while no details of the software were discussed, it appears the Siri speaker will be powered by a modified A9 processing chip.
Interestingly, more whispers regarding the company’s smartglasses were detailed — chiefly that the spectacles have been delayed until 2018 or 2019, and a 65% chance exists that ‘Project Mirrorshades’ is cancelled altogether.
In terms of actual specs, the glasses will allegedly feature a microphone, accelerometer and magnetometer for steps and a capacitive strip on the arm for volume and call functions. Bone conduction tech would be used for audio, while integration with apps could see head movements control the action. Resolution for the glasses will also sit at 428 x 240, with crystal (described as clear), champagne and black designs all being entertained in both men and women’s sizes. Rough estimates also placed the price tag for a potential set at around $600.
With Tim Cook and Apple dropping some big hints over the last 12 months regarding augmented reality and bringing it to a mass audience, seeing the project ditched at this stage would be a surprise. However, if the technology isn’t there to make a genuine difference in the space (e.g. What the iPhone kickstarted with smartphones a decade ago), Apple is unlikely to make the leap. This is something we’ve also seen recently with the company’s apparent shift within its Project Titan car plan.
And despite the contents of this Apple treasure chest not actually predicting anything too farfetched, and Reddit’s moderators verifying the post after receiving documentation and evidence, it’s important to point out that leaks from anywhere other than the horse’s mouth should be viewed as such.
We’ll know more about the future of the Siri speaker later today, and whether that parcel of information is indeed accurate, though don’t expect anything official on the company’s smartglasses for the foreseeable future.
Source: Reddit
