The Screenless Future

Augmented reality wearables are going to replace your next iPhone? Loup Ventures managing partner Andrew Murphy sees this happening in the future, and for one simple reason, companies want to solve consumer problems.

“We’ll eventually look back at the turn of the century and wonder how we could spend so much time looking at our phones,” Murphy said. “While we eat. While we walk down the street. While we drive. iOS 11’s new Do Not Disturb While Driving “feature” is not the solution to our screen problem. AR is the solution to our screen problem.”

Solving Customer Problems Drives Value

If companies like Apple Inc. AAPL are able to use augmented reality to eliminate a consumer issue, like staring at a screen way too much, this could lead to a screenless future.

“AR will create the screenless future without compromising our access to information. In fact, AR will improve and expand our access to information,” Murphy noted.

While consumers make the argument that they would not want to wear wearables, Murphy highlighted how many of them have already started wearing similar devices.

“However, if you have AirPods, how often do you keep one or both in your ears? Mine are in pretty much all day long, even if I’m not using them,” Murphy highlighted. “And I, along with the other 64% of adults, also wear glasses. Design is Apple’s core advantage over every other tech company, and I fully expect Apple to design glasses that feel like they are only “on” when you need them.”

A Screenless Future By 2026?

Murphy expects Apple to sell more Apple Glasses in 2026 than iPhones, as the technology company looks to continue to change the world through augmented reality.

“As they design increasingly immersive computing platforms, and as technology allows for smaller, better computers, these devices will take “computing share” away from our phones and put it on our wrists, in our ears, and in our field of view – the screenless future,” Murphy concluded.