Snap and WaveOptics Enter The Shrinking AR Smartglasses Race

J.C. Kuang, Analyst Augmented Reality, Augmented Reality Intelligence Service, Automotive Technology, Devices & Technology, Head-Mounted Displays, Head-Up Displays, Insight Articles, Semiconductors, Venture Capital, Private Equity, and M&A

Following the announcement of its new Spectacles AR development kit, Snap Inc. has announced its deal to acquire waveguide supplier WaveOptics. The deal is worth over $500 million, at least half of which is to be paid in stock. The partnership between the two companies signals a recommitment from Snap to develop and produce true AR smartglasses within the next … Read More

Xnor.ai Technology At The Edge Could Enhance AR for Apple

J.C. Kuang, Analyst Augmented Reality, Devices & Technology, Insight Articles, Software

On January 15th, media outlets reported the acquisition of edge computing technology startup Xnor.ai by Apple. The Seattle-based company is known for developing AI and machine learning tools for efficient, low power computing environments deployable at the edge. The company is the latest in a long series of technology-focused acquisitions by Apple and is expected to significantly reduce iOS platforms’ … Read More

Greenlight Perspective 2020: How Augmented Reality Will Evolve Alongside the 2020 Mobile Computing Landscape

J.C. Kuang, Analyst Augmented Reality, Augmented Reality Intelligence Service, Devices & Technology, Imaging & Video, Insight Articles, Interfaces

Greenlight Insights Logo for Website

2019 saw the beginning of a major wave of disruption in mobile computing in the form of augmented reality. Across entertainment, social media, and business use cases, tablets and smartphones have emerged as the de-facto platform for many different AR applications and yielded immediate business benefits of their massive addressable market. Led by major global stakeholders including PTC, Apple, and … Read More

Greenlight Perspective 2020: Smartglasses in the Year Ahead

J.C. Kuang, Analyst Augmented Reality, Augmented Reality Intelligence Service, Consumer Insights, Devices & Technology, Head-Mounted Displays, Head-Up Displays, Imaging & Video, Insight Articles, Interfaces

2019 saw continued developments further cementing the position of augmented reality as a transformative trend for computing. Unique releases from companies like Amazon, Bose, and Snap have served to broaden and complicate the emerging product category known as “smartglasses” by introducing new key functions and display modalities, such as stereo video capture and augmented audio. In addition, imminent releases from … Read More

CES 2020 Preview: 5G and XR Displays to Headline

Greenlight Insights Augmented Reality, Augmented Reality Intelligence Service, Devices & Technology, Head-Mounted Displays, Insight Articles, Telecommunications, Virtual Reality, Virtual Reality Intelligence Service

CES Main Greenlight Insights

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is the annual showcase of technology innovation that will change the future of different industries. As virtual and augmented reality (“xR”) has developed into dynamic markets, the technologies’ presence at CES has become more prominent. In this article, Greenlight Insights gives their predictions of what is to come at CES 2020 taking place … Read More

Apple Acquires iKinema, Showing its Ambitions for Augmented Reality Avatars

Natalie Yue, Analyst Apps & Games, Augmented Reality, Insight Articles, Media & Entertainment, Software

Apple’s ARKit: What it means and why it’s important

Apple, which as been the subject of much speculation about a forthcoming augmented reality head-worn device, announced this week that the transaction to acquire iKinema, the UK-based motion-capture technology specialist, has now been finalized. To learn more about Apple and the development of the larger AR marketplace, as well as Greenlight Insights’ outlook on the future of the augmented reality … Read More

Smartglasses Shootout: Garta, Orion, Stella to Advance Augmented Reality

J.C. Kuang, Analyst Augmented Reality, Augmented Reality Intelligence Service, Devices & Technology, Head-Mounted Displays, Insight Articles

Recent reports have shed new light on the augmented reality hardware strategy underway at Facebook. Persons familiar describe two discrete products, codenamed Orion and Stella which appear to vary significantly in functionality.  Orion represents a major step forward in functionality for consumer AR hardware, promising discrete computing functionality and support for phone-like features such as onboard mobile broadband connectivity. Stella, … Read More