Rumours regarding what augmented reality (AR) capabilities will be including in the upcoming iPhone8 have been circulating for some time. An anonymous Foxconn employee on Reddit may have just spilled the beans on what plans Apple have for the upcoming smartphone.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously spoken about his belief that AR is the next big thing, so it is not a huge surprise to hear that Apple are planning to incorporate AR features into its next phone. According to the Foxconn source, however, Apple’s plans for AR go beyond simply adding in AR features. A set of AR glasses are allegedly being worked on under the name ‘Project Mirrorshades’ by the long-rumoured special section of Apple dedicated to AR and virtual reality (VR).
There have been some previous suggestions that suggested Apple was working on AR glasses, which, according to the rumours, would be able to connect wirelessly to the iPhone and beam content to the wearer. The iPhone has lagged behind Android devices with regards to AR capabilities, especially when Google Tango capability is taken into account, but it is not unusual for Apple to spend years testing and refining technology in their R&D department before release. The leaks suggest that the AR glasses are currently in early testing stages are are expected to be released some time in 2019.
There have been previous leaks of dummy designs for the iPhone 8, which according to the Foxconn leak are quite close to the final design; featuring a dual lens camera for advanced 3D and AR effects, an optical fingerprint scanner embedded in the display and the removal of the familiar Home button. There has also been a suggestion that Apple will be moving from a 16:9 aspect ratio to a 18:5:9 ratio, in line with the expected 5.8 OLED display.
VRFocus will bring you further news on Apple’s AR projects as it becomes available.