Nreal, a Chinese manufacturer of augmented reality (AR) smart glasses, announced last week it will accept orders for its Air smart glasses set for release in Japan on March 4th. The upcoming product will cost 39,799 yen (USD $345), according to a marketplace listing by KDDI.
KDDI and NTT Docomo will handle reservations for the Nreal Air device ahead of the Japanese release next week.
The pre-order comes bundled with a full AR-ready kit for its users and includes a travelling case, light shield, and eyesight correction lens frame.
Additionally, KDDI is also accepting orders for the Nreal Light and ‘Streaming Box’ that improves media viewing on Nreal brand smart glasses.
Unpacking the Nreal Air
The Beijing-based firm is focusing its Air solution as a consumer media streaming product first. Nreal designed the Air to accommodate video streaming via supported apps such as Magenta or YouTube.
Nreal aims to solve issues of device fatigue by creating Air as an incredibly lightweight product weighing just 77 grams.
Recently, Nreal Air received the TÜV Rheinland Group’s Low Blue Light Hardware Solution and Flicker-Free certifications to protect users’ eyes from damage caused by long-term blue light exposure.
The device does not contain motion tracking technology, meaning that users cannot navigate AR environment by moving their heads, requiring users to navigate AR overlays via a tethered smartphone.
Also, the device contains a 46-degree field of view (FOV) and a 90Hz refresh rate. Conversely, older Nreal Light products contain a 52-degree FOV and 60Hz refresh rate with a higher 107-gram weight.
Despite this, the lighter Nreal Air device allows its users to enjoy AR-based video content for an extended period with less eye strain and general fatigue.
Individuals wearing the Air device can stream online, high-quality video content on virtual screens up to roughly 201 inches in size.
Alongside video streaming, Nreal Air adopters can enjoy AR immersive gaming experiences or use the device along with fitness bikes for an enhanced exercise regime.
In a statement to Engadget last year, a Nreal representative stated that based on Nreal Light usage data, consumers will use the Air for “simply watching shows on YouTube [and] streaming content on local streaming platforms,” adding the hardware tradeoff “makes sense” for the firm.
