Latest news with #MingChiKuo
CNET
3 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Apple Has Big Vision Pro Plans for 2027, Including Smart Glasses, Analyst Says
Apple will release multiple head-mounted AR and VR products in 2027, according to respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities. An upgraded Vision Pro headset will also drop later this year, the report last week said. There are three Vision series products currently in development, along with four pairs of smart glasses. A Ray-Ban Meta-style smart glasses product will see 3 million to 5 million shipments in 2027. Apple expects to ship more than 10 million AR/VR products in 2027, suggesting the company sees this as the next major consumer tech category. However, later this year, according to the report, Apple will release the Vision Pro M5 Version, which will feature an upgrade from Apple's M2 chip. And in 2027, the report says Apple will release a lighter Vision Air that'll feature a 40% reduction in weight and will be powered by the latest iPhone processor. A second-generation Vision Pro is slated for 2028 with a brand new and "significantly lighter" design at a lower price. On the smart glasses end, a mass market displayless pair of frames will see a 2027 release. For those wanting an XR experience, extended reality glasses with a built-in see-through color display will come out in 2028, and those will feature AI connectivity. Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Smart glasses market is continuing to grow The global smart glasses market was valued at $1.93 billion in 2024 and is projected to rise to $8.26 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. It's why many players in Big Tech are jumping in on creating the next generation of wearable technology. Meta, along with its Ray-Ban and Oakley-branded smart glasses, has shown off its Orion prototype, featuring a transparent display that can project information on the lens. Earlier this year, Google unveiled Android XR, its new AR and VR platform, along with glasses made in collaboration with Qualcomm and Samsung. Chipmaker Nvidia is also working on AI models to help the smart glasses experience. In this race, Meta has the most to gain since it doesn't own a phone or computing platform and is largely beholden to rule changes from Apple, Microsoft and Google. However, gaining a footing in the AR and VR space could allow it to own both a hardware and software stack in smart glasses market. But Apple has massive brand loyalty, and entrance into this space would be a major threat to Meta's current market dominance. At the moment, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses have sold 2 million units, and its Quest VR headset have also pushed 20 million units.
Gizmodo
4 days ago
- Gizmodo
Apple's Next Vision Pro May Come Sooner Than You Think, but With One Big Letdown
It may feel like Apple has given up on its used car-priced 'spatial computer,' the Vision Pro, but according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the iPhone maker's next-gen headset might arrive a lot sooner than you think, and that price may not be coming down. According to Gurman, an 'upgraded' Vision Pro could be released 'as early as this year.' The headset will reportedly be aimed at 'improving performance' and enhancing 'comfort.' Bloomberg says this next iteration of the Vision Pro will have a new processor that's faster and better equipped to run AI, and a new strap for added comfort. Specifically, the next Vision Pro will reportedly use the M4 chip—the same one in the latest MacBook Airs and Mac mini—as opposed to the M2 in the current generation, and the new strap will be designed specifically to reduce neck strain, which is a welcome goal since anyone who's used the Vision Pro for an extended period has likely noticed that it's I'm not seeing on this list of objectives is anything that would connote the next Vision Pro being more affordable. That's because it probably won't be. Supply chain sleuth Ming Chi-Kuo has previously reported that a more affordable headset may not arrive until 2027, which is quite a wait considering the already tepid demand for the current generation. An equally expensive headset will also likely do little to convince more people to buy a Vision Pro. While the Vision Pro has far and away the best hardware and UI of any commercial headset on the market, $3,500 is too big an ask for a gadget that most people just don't need. At the end of the day, headsets are still considered to be more toys than actual get-shit-done kinds of devices, which makes them a difficult proposition in general, but especially on the premium end. Just ask Meta and its flop of a headset, the Quest Pro. At $1,500 the Quest Pro was geared more toward work and 'professional' uses, which, as you may already know, did not translate to lots of people for several reasons. The vast majority of people out there have had little to no experience with VR or XR headsets, which makes the idea of going from zero to 'pro' pretty daunting. The Vision Pro still hits a lot of the same notes—it's expensive and was marketed somewhat towards productivity. If nothing else, a new Vision Pro headset—even one that's still too expensive—will signal to the rest of the field that Apple hasn't given up on XR. Is that an expensive and time-consuming way of doing that? Yes, it is. But this is one of the most resourced hardware companies in the world, and I guess if you have the pockets to do it, and you're really committed to XR hardware, it's worth another spin at the XR/AR wheel.
The Verge
5 days ago
- The Verge
Apple's second-generation Vision Pro might launch this year
Apple is preparing to launch its next Vision Pro headset 'as early as this year,' according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The upcoming device will reportedly feature an upgraded M4 processor, along with a redesigned strap to combat neck and head pain. The $3,499 Vision Pro, which was released in February 2024, uses a now-three-year-old M2 processor. As reported by Bloomberg, the Vision Pro's next iteration could come with an emphasis on AI, a move that would align with the company's efforts to infuse AI across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. According to Bloomberg, Apple could outfit the next Vision Pro with more than the 16 neural engine cores available on the current M2-equipped headset. If true, that would make it the first M4 chip with more than 16 neural cores — so far, only the M2 Ultra and M3 Ultra have come with more than that. Even without the extra cores, the M4's 16-core NPU is still more than two times faster than one on the M2. Bloomberg reports that Apple is also testing new Vision Pro straps to make the around 1.4-pound device more comfortable to wear as well. My former colleague Wes Davis found that the Vision Pro was most comfortable when the included Solo Knit Band was paired with a $50 Belkin Head Strap than with either of Apple's two included bands on their own. Last month, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that Apple could launch an M5-powered Vision Pro headset by the end of this year. Both Gurman and Kuo say Apple is on track to launch a lighter — and cheaper — version of the Vision Pro in 2027. Apple is also reportedly working on a pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses similar to the ones launched by Meta.
Phone Arena
6 days ago
- Phone Arena
Apple's iPhone 17e may cut costs with old OLED tech
A new report from The Elec claims that Apple is planning to launch an iPhone 17e in the spring, a successor to the iPhone 16e, which will reportedly use the same OLED panel as part of the effort to keep costs low. The iPhone 16e is somewhat one of a kind type of iPhone right now. Initially rumored as a next-generation iPhone SE, the iPhone actually took a spot (somewhat) as a part of the iPhone 16 series, despite being released later. This, plus its name, ' iPhone 16e ' (not iPhone SE 4), prompted people to believe that releasing a 'more affordable' iPhone would become a yearly thing for Apple. A new report from South Korea now corroborates this, claiming that indeed we will see an iPhone 17e next spring. Reportedly, the device will keep the costs low with some components, including the OLED display. The report says the OLED for the iPhone 17e would be the same one used in the iPhone 16e , which is the same one used in the iPhone 14. The iPhone 16e. | Image Credit – PhoneArena According to the report, BOE and Samsung would be supplying the display panels. It's also likely that LG Display may also be involved. The iPhone 16e rocks a 6.1-inch OLED display with Face ID. The phone is powered by Apple's A18 chip and is a more affordable alternative to the iPhone 16 family. In April, there were claims that the iPhone 17e was nearing the trial production stage. Back then, it was reported that the device was tentatively scheduled for a May release next year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is vaguely positioning the iPhone 17e's release timeframe in the first half of next year. And apparently, the e-branded model of iPhone won't be a one-off (or two-off) thing. Kuo also claimed a third generation of the 'affordable' iPhone will reportedly be released in the first half of 2027. The iPhone 16e is considered an upper mid-ranger, starting at $599. It's competing against phones like the Pixel 9a, Galaxy S24 FE, OnePlus 13R, and others. I personally find the iPhone 16e sports just the right amount of power, without all the fancy stuff a regular user won't necessarily be interested in having on their iPhone. The phone covers the basics and does it with flying colors. And as such, I think it's a great idea for this option to continue existing in Apple's portfolio. So yep, I'm delighted a successor is reportedly in the works. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area.
Phone Arena
7 days ago
- Phone Arena
Apple might redesign the iPhone 17's front after all
iPhone 17 Series renders. | Image credit — Digital Chat Station Posting on Weibo, the well-known leaker Digital Chat Station leaked multiple details about theseries. Among them was a mention of the Dynamic Island, which, according to a machine translation, may feature a brand-new UI. Do you think the Dynamic Island should be smaller? Yes, Apple should make it as small as possible The size doesn't matter No, now it's small enough Apple should remove it altogether Yes, Apple should make it as small as possible 0% The size doesn't matter 0% No, now it's small enough 0% Apple should remove it altogether 0% iPhone 17 Apple's new island Receive the latest Apple news Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy iPhone 17 Pro Max The post doesn't go into details about what changes Apple might be making to the Dynamic Island, sticking to a rather vague language. That's far from the first time we've heard about such changes on theseries, first heard of a smaller Dynamic Island late last year. Initially, rumor had it that the changes would only apply to the iPhone 17 Pro Max . However, in January, that rumor was debunked by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claimed the size of the Dynamic Island would remain largely unchanged across Apple's 2025 to February of this year, and Digital Chat Station was insisting on a smaller Dynamic Island for the. The leaker then claimed Apple may use metalens technology for the Face ID system to shrink the size of the display's opening.
