Apple Has the Experience to Make an AR Bombshell Come True

Augmented reality (AR) is coming. Combine it with AI … and … wow!

Mark Gurman and his colleagues at Bloomberg have written that Apple is exploring another wearables project: digital glasses. “Apple Considers Wearables Expansion With Digital Glasses.” According to people familiar with the matter:

While still in an exploration phase, the device would connect wirelessly to iPhones, show images and other information in the wearer’s field of vision, and may use augmented reality (AR)….

But wait. Don’t laugh yet.

I’ve long believed that this is our technical future. That is, a sophisticated optical device that displays all the information we need on our visual field. (Think about combining that with a really smart AI agent!) Just how that’s implemented is the key, and it will surely evolve. Google Glass was version 0.10.

Right now, according to Gurman, Apple is in the testing phase.

Apple has talked about its glasses project with potential suppliers, according to people familiar with those discussions. The company has ordered small quantities of near-eye displays from one supplier for testing, the people said. Apple hasn’t ordered enough components so far to indicate imminent mass-production, one of the people added.

Of course, as Google found out, there are lots of technical and social issues to work out. Perhaps, Apple with hindsight, tremendous R&D funding and vast UX/UI experience can get us all the way there, as it did with the Apple Watch.

The days of walking around, dodging busses, staring at a little black brick will be over in a few years.

Next page: The news debris for the week of Nov 14th. The first Microsoft Surface Studio reviews. You guessed right.

Page 2 – News debris for the week of Nov 14th

The Surface Studio Reviews Are In

It’s an odd world when Microsoft, which doesn’t need the revenue from desktops, is on the rise while Apple which does need the revenue seems to be losing interest. Gregg Keizer at Computerworld explores the nuances of positioning, perception and revenue with these two giants. “What’s the Mac mean to Apple, the Surface to Microsoft?”

Keizer goes on to explore the importance to creative professionals to Apple and vice versa. He quotes tech analyst Jan Dawson, who thinks Apple has a plan.

They will update the desktop Macs, maybe starting with the Mac Pro, in the next few months…

If so, there would be rejoicing such as Apple has never seen.

Microsoft Surface Studio

Speaking of desktops, the Microsoft Surface Studio has landed in the hands of reviewers. Here’s the first of two I’ve seen, and it’s from Tom Warren at The Verge . “Microsoft Surface Studio Review: A Beautiful Invader Of Apple’s Base.” From the conclusion:

The fact that Microsoft is even being considered an alternative to Apple’s line of machines for creatives is not something anyone, not even Microsoft, was expecting for the Surface devices. The Surface Studio won’t take over Mac-focused design houses just yet, but that it’s even a possibility is remarkable. The Studio is special because it knows exactly what it is and who it’s for—and it’s largely spot on. If Microsoft keeps developing its strengths here, some of Apple’s most loyal customers might well be tempted to switch camps.

That’s also what I’m hearing from readers.

The second review I saw was from CNET. “Pricey Surface Studio can teach iMac a few good tricks.” The bottom line: “Microsoft’s ambitious love letter to creative professionals is the touchscreen iMac of your dreams — albeit crazy expensive and running Windows.”

And that, right there, may be the key. The Microsoft Surface Studio has potential users so completely drooling that they’re willing to put up with Windows 10 to have the hardware. And that may be, in the end, Apple’s brilliant response. That is, Apple has a really cool OS in macoS Sierra. Now we’re just waiting for Apple to come out with its own great hardware and then we’ll say to ourselves, “We were idiots to doubt.”

Or Apple could continue to abandon us. Your choice Apple.

More Debris…

There’s nothing like a slide show to help the reader visualize the details of a comparison. Here’s a visual essay, “7 Reasons Roku Ultra Beats Apple TV.” If Apple waits another year for 4K/UHD and HDR, the competition could well be on its 2nd generation units and have the advantage of years of engineering and customer experience. As Microsoft found out with the Surface tablet family, time is not on your side in tech when playing catch up.

Roku Ultra. 4K/UHD + HDR.  Image credit: Roku. Can Apple ever catch up?

Forbes has a major article on the iPhone 8, derived from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. “Apple Leak Reveals Massive New iPhone.” It’s quite a read.

Aside from all the cool technology discussed above, an emerging issue is whether manufacturing sources could supply Apple with all the OLED panels it would need. Solution? Offer TFT-LCD models as before and add one very high end model, with a 5.8-inch OLED display—one that’s so expensive, the reduced demand will give Apple a lot of attention and prestige and yet enable the company to meed demand. Ah, the intrigue….

The iPhone lock screen should be just that. Locked. And yet, it seems that every time Apple makes dubious concessions to information access on the lock screen, it opens a security hole. For example, “iOS bug exposes photos and messages on locked iPhones.” The article explains how to block this hack.

The moral of the story? In Settings, lock your iPhone’s lock screen up really well and log on when you need to access information.

From the Particle Debris Department of Intrigue. Bloomberg has an interesting story: “Apple’s Chip Choices May Leave Some iPhone Users in Slow Lane.” A cellular research firm reports:

The data indicates that the iPhone 7 is not taking advantage of all of Verizon’s network capabilities, said Gabriel Tavridis, head of product at Twin Prime. I doubt that Apple is throttling each bit on the Verizon iPhone, but it could have chosen to not enable certain features of the network chip.

More intrigue. Security Week reports: “iPhone Call Logs Quietly Synced to iCloud, Forensics Firm Warns.” But there’s more to know. Additional elaboration is at Macworld.”Apple saves iPhone call history to iCloud, but barely mentions it.“ Ian Paul explains a bit more and then links to even better explanation at iMore by Rene Ritchie. “Apple comments on iCloud call history sync: What you need to know!” It’s always an interesting progression from initial discovery, to concern and some panic, and then to calm comprehension.

Here’s another smartphone security issue. Again, it seems to be under control. But it’s a sign that these complex devices are always full of surprises. “Powerful backdoor/rootkit found preinstalled on 3 million Android phones.” Buyer beware.

Finally, when, gosh darn it, will we see new iPads? MacRumors thinks it’ll be March, 2017. Here are the juicy details and rumors. “Three New iPads Said to Launch in March, Including Bezel-Free 10.9-Inch Model.”

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AR teaser image via Shutterstock.

Particle Debris is a generally a mix of John Martellaro’s observations and opinions about a standout event or article of the week (preamble on page one) followed on page two by a discussion of articles that didn’t make the TMO headlines, the technical news debris. The column is published most every Friday except for holidays.

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