Nearly a decade ago, smart glasses were predicted to be the next big thing. Fast forward to 2021, and they've been reduced to a mainly forgotten area of consumer tech history, having failed to become a part of our daily lives.
Oppo, a Chinese consumer electronics company, intends to alter that and has launched the world's first commercial smart glasses. The Oppo Air Glass is a set of light glasses that are supposed to let you "get more out of everyday life."
The Oppo Air Glass is a pair of glasses that has a glass frame attachment that magnetically latches onto the right side of the frame. The projector, motherboard, Snapdragon Wear 4100 Platform, battery, WiFi and Bluetooth antenna, microphones, and speakers are all housed in the magnetic frame. Unlike Facebook's (controversial) smart glasses, this pair of eyewear currently lacks a camera.
What's so great about the Air Glass? Swiping the touch bar on the right side of the frame, as well as hand motions and head shakes, are all ways to use it. This gadget has no wires, simply a Snap-on attachment that connects to the Oppo Reno 6 Pro phone or the company's Watch 2 through Bluetooth. (At this time, the Air Glass does not support other Android or iOS devices.)
For the time being, the Air Glass will only be available in mainland China in the first quarter of 2022. Given the limited distribution, it appears like Oppo is testing the market, but it wouldn't be a shock if it receives a wider worldwide release in the upcoming years. At the time, no pricing information was available.
To comprehend the role that Oppo's Air Glass plays in the realm of smart eyewear, examine what it is not. The Air Glass isn't a set of VR glasses that isolates you from your surroundings, nor does it try to take you to the metaverse or any other virtual realm. Oppo claims that rather than augmenting reality, it aims to help it.
Based on reviews regarding the Air Glass, it is believed that Oppo has accomplished this. The Glass's unique form and lightweight construction, which is only 30 grams, make it easier to use on a daily basis and makes it more practical. The Air Glass, in my opinion, appears to be a practical and user-friendly solution for the common people to adapt to the idea of smart eyewear.
Users can check the weather, view my calendar, and use an astonishing teleprompter-like capability by swiping back on the frame. To use it, simply upload a document into the Smart Glass app, press play on your phone, and the script will appear on glasses in a scrolling format.
It appears to be great for giving Zoom presentations or referring to notes during an online meeting. Oppo claims to convey information using optical waveguide technology, a rather established technology that is already in use in industry. The screen itself is rather bright, with a peak brightness of 1,400 nits and a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels.
Oppo is pleased about its live translation function, which translates spoken words into text on the Air Glass display, allowing individuals to speak face-to-face in multiple languages. According to Oppo, the technology can recognize users’ favorite language and can instantly translate from English to Chinese and vice versa.