OPPO unveils new 'Air Glass' assisted reality device
What's the story
On the first day of OPPO's INNO Day 2021 event, the company has unveiled its latest smart glasses, called the Air Glass. It is an assisted reality (aR) device that can project different information, ranging from weather to navigation, directly in front of the user's eyes. The snap-on monocle will be first available in China early next year in two colors and sizes.
Context
Why does it matter?
OPPO had introduced its first pair of AR glasses in 2019 in a bid to diversify its product portfolio. This time, the company has introduced an "assisted reality" smart monocle, which projects 2D information rather than overlaying 3D objects as in the case of AR. Google was also reportedly planning to introduce similar concept glasses after it acquired smart glasses company North.
Design
Air Glass features five-piece glass lens
The OPPO Air Glass flaunts a "feather-like" build with a Cicada-wind-shaped design and a CNC-machined frame. The inside of the frame has a magnetic port that helps it to attach to compatible glasses. The five-piece glass lens module offers a monochrome display. It is touted to last up to three hours with active usage and up to 40 hours on standby.
Projector
The projector uses micro-LED technology
Air Glass sports a Spark Micro projector which measures around the size of a coffee bean at just 0.5cc. It uses micro-LED technology to project information over the lens with high brightness levels. The waveguide display can offer up to 3 million-nits of peak brightness but actual brightness will be up to 1,400-nits. OPPO Air Glass is backed by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor.
Functionality
It has built-in real-time translation feature
For intuitive interactions, the OPPO Air Glass offers support for touch and voice control as well as hand and head tracking. It comes with a teleprompter mode, which allows users to read out text while the built-in real-time translation function enables two-way translation for easy communication. The device can also show weather reports, the calendar, health stats, and navigation.
Availability
When will OPPO Air Glass be available?
The OPPO Air Glass will be first launched in China in Q1 of 2022. It will be offered two frame options: a silver half-frame and a black full-frame. The latter is said to be a better fit for users that need corrective eyewear. Details regarding its pricing as well as availability in other markets are yet to be announced.