Apple’s AR Glasses Could Hit Stores In First Half Of 2020

TF International Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple is working with third-party brands to launch augmented reality (AR) glasses in the first half of 2020, CNBC reported on Wednesday (Oct. 9).

AR glasses present digital information as if it exists in reality. Microsoft and Google already released AR glasses, but they have yet to catch on.

Kuo’s latest research note also said Changying Precision will be Apple’s main chassis supplier for the head-mounted AR product, MacRumors reported.

The note also indicated that Apple is rolling out a lower-cost iPhone SE2 and a new iPad Pro in early 2020 and will release a 5G iPhone in the third quarter of next year.

Another Kuo note earlier this year said the same A13 chip in the iPhone 11 will be used for Apple’s iPhone SE2, and the phone will look like the iPhone 8. A new MacBook with a redesigned keyboard will also launch in the second quarter.

Earlier in October, Kuo said the “iPhone SE2, which will be the best upgrade choice for [the] existing 100 million iPhone 6 series users, will be a key growth driver for Apple in 2020.”

The first iPhone SE had a four-inch screen, which some people preferred, and had a design similar to the iPhone 5 but with better components inside. The iPhone 8 costs about $449, and if Apple follows the same pricing scheme, the SE2 could offer more power for less money.

“We believe that [the] iPhone SE2 will meet more users’ demand and increase the iPhone’s market share because of the more affordable price,” Kuo said.

The phone probably won’t have the same camera capability as the 11, since Apple will have to cut some things out to keep the price down. It will also probably have a home button, since the Face ID feature was not available on the 8.