Supply chain analyst and leaker Ming-Chi Kuo has shared a report on Apple’s adoption of Metalens technology, noting that they will eventually be used in “Apple Glass” around 2026 or 2027. Apple’s new technology could reportedly replace the plastic lens caps in future devices. It will also begin to be used as a replacement part for Face ID, and then eventually for camera lenses and AR glasses.
According to a report from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the first appearance of metalens will enter mass production in 2024 for use as a Face ID cover for the iPad Pro. If successful, the iPhone will adopt metalens as Face ID in 2025 or 2026, though Kuo says the latter is more likely.
Eventually, the technology will be used in Apple’s “Apple Glasses,” augmented reality glasses that are expected to display content in the real world. Apple’s glasses will go into production as early as 2026 or 2027.
Metalens technology is expected to become mainstream between 2028 and 2030 as a replacement for plastic lenses in low-end cameras or LiDAR systems.
A Harvard University paper describes Metalens as a flat surface that uses nanostructures to focus light. The technology appears to be in its early stages, but Kuo believes it will be ready for tiny lens covers for Face ID by 2024.
Kuo hasn’t mentioned a launch date for Apple’s AR glasses project for years, previously sharing that they would launch in 2025, and that report also mentioned that contact lenses would be available in 2030, but Wednesday’s report didn’t mention any of that.
Apple’s VR headset and its operating system support are rumored to be announced during WWDC in June, perhaps as a first step in Apple’s development of Apple’s AR glasses.
