Google is secretly working on an AR headset as part of mysterious 'A65' project, report claims - as analyst says Apple's own 'Glasses' could go on sale in 2021.

Google may be jumping into the augmented reality headset game.
A secretive project referred to internally as 'A65' may be tasked with creating an AR headset that's reportedly similar to Microsoft's HoloLens, German news site Winfuture reported.



The move comes as nearly every major tech player appears to have their eyes set on the AR headset market, including Apple, which is now rumored to be looking at a 2021 release date for its AR-powered wearable.

Google's device would use Qualcomm chips and is expected to be built by Taiwanese computer maker Quanta. 
Quanta also helped build Google's now-defunct Pixel C tablet.

The AR headset would be a standalone device that doesn't require a connection to a personal computer or smartphone, not unlike Facebook's newly-released Oculus Go VR headset. 

It will also be equipped with camera sensors and microphones, which would enable voice inputs. 
Presumably, this means that the headset would respond to commands from Google Assistant. 
It's unclear when Google plans to release the rumored device, as it's still in the prototype stage, according to WinFuture. 

Google isn't a new entrant in the AR headset market. 
The firm broke into the space in 2013 when it released Google Glass, a pair of smart glasses connected to a computer. 

However, the device received criticism from many in and outside Silicon Valley who said it raised privacy concerns, in that users couldn't tell when they were being recorded. 

Google has since resurrected the device, releasing Google Glass Enterprise Edition in 2017. 
The new headset has longer battery life and a faster processor, but it's aimed at the business sector. 

Loup Ventures analyst Gene Munster wrote in a recent post that he expects the iPhone maker to release 'Apple Glasses' late in 2021.

Munster believes Apple's recent moves around augmented reality signal that the firm is focusing more and more on the prospect of AR glasses. 

'We believe AR is real and Apple will be a beneficiary,' Munster, who is a long-term Apple analyst, wrote.


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