Watch these Samsung concepts for AR glasses with auto-dimming sunglasses mode and more

Samsung has never committed to building full-on augmented reality (AR) glasses, but a pair of conceptual videos that have been leaked on Twitter by WalkingCat suggest the company is envisioning a few interesting ideas in that regard. The videos look exactly like something Samsung would make, with one of them showing how one might navigate the user interface.


STORY HIGHLIGHTS:

  • The videos imagine “Samsung AR Glasses.”
  • The glasses would overlay 3D objects on top of the real world.
  • A smartwatch could be used to navigate the interface.
  • There would be auto-dimming “Sunglasses Mode.”
  • This is just a concept, Samsung may never release such a product.

Sunglasses mode

So-called “Samsung Glasses Lite” would act as regular augmented reality glasses with a pair of screens overlaying virtual images on top of your real world. One of the scenes shows off “Sunglasses Mode” that would automatically dim computer-generated imagery.

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Another scene shows off using the product to navigate a DJI drone in an awesome first-person perspective (the DJI website already offers a specialized headset with two full-HD screens and an OcuSync wireless transmission system that provides fish-person-view flight experiences).

In one of the videos, the company imagines using what looks like a Galaxy smartwatch to make navigating the user interface of the AR accessory easier, which could be useful in situations when making air gestures with hands isn’t socially acceptable. Although this isn’t the right comparison, Apple already lets you control the Apple TV interface with your Apple Watch.

Virtual screens in AR

We can’t help but notice how the videos imagine using AR glasses to easily add multiple virtual screens. As a matter of fact, Dominik Hofacker recently shared on Twitter a rally well-done concept video imagining adding extra virtual screens to your Mac via an Apple AR accessory.

Only time will tell whether something like this could work in the real world. For the time being, we don’t envision physical devices with screens disappearing overnight because of AR glasses.

Other AR goggles are coming!

Apple may be working on two mixed reality accessories — a niche but pricey headset aimed at developers that could be followed by a pair of more mainstream AR glasses for the masses.

Apple and Samsung are hardly the only technology companies thought to be working in augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality products. Prior rumors have indicated that Facebook may be working not only on AR glasses of its own but a smartwatch, too.