Samsung could still be planning to launch a pair of augmented reality specs
Top tech for the eyes
Gadget makers aren't giving up on the idea of getting Google Glass-style augmented reality specs on our faces, with a recently filed Samsung patent the latest evidence that more of these wearable devices are on the way.
Spotted by Patently Apple, the filing shows a fairly standard design for a pair of glasses with added smarts on board. They're going to be foldable, apparently, so you can pop them in your pocket when you're not being wowed by AR.
A tiny projector mounted on the wearer's temple beams images in front of the eye, though we don't get much detail about what information the glasses would actually show. We're guessing smartphone notifications for a start.
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The filing does make mention of an ARM processor, so that could well be one of the components that make it into the finished version of the specs. An on-board camera and various sensors are also mentioned.
As always with a patent application, this isn't a guarantee that such a product is ever going to reach the market – but it does give us an indication of how Samsung is thinking in regards to future product launches.
And it wouldn't be alone in wanting to put some smartglasses tech on our noses: Huawei has already announced a pair to go on sale this year, though it's not clear how the company's ongoing US trade problems will affect those plans.
Apple is another big name in the business that's rumored to be working on smart AR specs. iOS now includes plenty of AR capabilities, so it makes sense that Apple would eventually release its own hardware around the technology.
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Samsung itself has previously been tipped to be working on something like this, and of course it already sells portable virtual reality headsets to go with its phones. Last year we even saw a logo that might come attached to the glasses.
Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.