Rumors of Apple’s AR and VR wearables may have a new competition. 9to5Google found that the well-known leaker WalkingCat shared a couple in videos which apparently represent Samsung’s conceptual vision for augmented reality glasses. Glasses Lite glasses would be aimed at the average user and would allow them to watch movies, video chats or (sigh) work without the need for a large conventional display. They would even have a “sunglasses mode” to color when you’re more interested in protecting your eyes than interacting with virtual screens.
A “Next Wearable Computing” video, in turn, predicts how AR glasses can help with work. An AR office would help to get things done, of course, but you could also make holographic calls in which participants were present in the room. AR simulations would even allow you to explore a digital space (say, the design of a room) as if you were there.
It is not certain how close this can be to reality. Lite glasses are more realistic than the Next Wearable Computing concept, but even they seem to represent more than what Samsung would like to do than a prototype of a real project. As it stands, part of this reflects the goals of products like Microsoft’s HoloLens. The difference, as you can imagine, is that Samsung would exchange bulky headphones for stylish glasses.
There is an incentive to explore these products, even if there are still years to reach customers. AR is considered one of the next technological frontiers, and companies like Apple and Microsoft have poured massive resources into making the format viable. If Samsung does not explore the category, it risks falling behind if and when AR takes off.