It is here! The highly anticipated next generation of spectacles.

During this week’s WWDC Apple revealed its action plan to lay the technical foundations for VR and AR headsets. According to exclusive rumours from tech analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo claims the upcoming Apple mixed reality headset will launch in the second quarter of 2022!

Snapchat has beaten them to it, currently holding the title of the first leading US tech company to pioneer in augmented reality glasses placing them well ahead of their rivals Apple and Facebook.  Evan Spiegal, Snap’s chief executive announced that his company had built a pair of smart glasses, called Spectacles. This lets wearers see the real world through its full of fun augmented reality filters, named ‘Lenses’.

In comparison to the first-ever ‘mixed reality headsets built by Microsoft’s Hololens or Magic Leap, the Snapchat lenses are much smaller and lighter. Social media competitor Facebook has announced plans to launch its first ‘smart glasses’ in partnership with popular Ray-Ban parent company Luxottica later this year, but that they will not have a display for viewing AR effects.

Additionally, Apple also revealed at WWDC21 that they have a few AR tricks up their sleeves with the reveal of AR navigation for Apple Maps, an easy-to-use 3D modeling tool called ‘RealityKit Object Capture’ and ‘ARKit 5’ which included improved facial tracking and motion capture. CEO Tim Cook addressed the fact that augmented reality is ‘critically important for the future of Apple’s growth.

One anticipated feature of the new Apple headset is that it carries 15 onboard cameras located both inside and outside and as a result will offer hand and eye-tracking.

It is incredibly clear that Apple has recognised what they need to do to continue to slay the tech industry one update at a time – cleverly tapping into the AR and VR world as they go.