be quickly toggled between, there’s a strong indication
that the company expects these modes to be used –
and switched between – frequently.
The Transparency mode, which essentially pipes in
outside sound from the AirPods Pro’s mics, provides a
way for users to interact with the world without having
to remove the AirPods. Think of it like an augmented
reality mode, where the noise cancelling feature is
more like a virtual reality that insulates you in a world
where your audio is the more important factor. I found
it handy, for example, when waiting for my name to be
called at the coffee shop.
Could a similar set of features find their way into
whatever heads-up display hardware Apple might
be developing? I don’t find it hard to imagine an
ability to toggle between an AR mode where you are
getting information about the world around you and
a ‘transparent’ mode where the glasses focus more
on the world itself. That’ll be particularly important
if you’re ever expected to wear these devices while
doing a task like, say, driving a car; some sort of Do
Not Disturb mode would seem to be a must-have.
Because in investing in a wearable heads-up display,
Apple will have to walk a very fine line between
‘augmented’ and ‘reality’.bequicklytoggledbetween,there’sastrongindication
thatthecompanyexpectsthesemodestobeused–
andswitchedbetween–frequently.
TheTransparencymode,whichessentiallypipesin
outsidesoundfromtheAirPodsPro’smics,providesa
wayforuserstointeractwiththeworldwithouthaving
toremovetheAirPods.Thinkofitlikeanaugmented
realitymode,wherethenoisecancellingfeatureis
morelikeavirtualrealitythatinsulatesyouinaworld
whereyouraudioisthemoreimportantfactor.Ifound
ithandy,forexample,whenwaitingformynametobe
calledatthecoffeeshop.
Couldasimilarsetoffeaturesfindtheirwayinto
whateverheads-updisplayhardwareApplemight
bedeveloping?Idon’tfindithardtoimaginean
abilitytotogglebetweenanARmodewhereyouare
gettinginformationabouttheworldaroundyouand
a‘transparent’modewheretheglassesfocusmore
onthe worlditself.That’llbeparticularlyimportant
ifyou’reeverexpectedtowearthesedeviceswhile
doingatasklike,say,drivingacar;somesortofDo
Not Disturbmodewouldseemtobeamust-have.
Becauseininvestinginawearableheads-updisplay,
Applewillhavetowalkaveryfinelinebetween
‘augmented’and‘reality’.