Does tech really take over the world?

Recently, an article asked whether kids in school still needed to write essays, given the latest developments in AI technology. Do people still need to know how to craft something that a computer can put together for them?

It's important to keep a sensible perspective on technological advancements like this. There are certainly examples of technologies that make other inventions obsolete, but that's not always the case. For every example of obsolescence (the tractor replacing the oxen plough), there are plenty of technologies that become either complementary or simply shift markets. The television didn't actually kill the radio. There are plenty of people that listen to the radio in the car or at the office or on their smart hubs.

As for AI taking away English teachers' abilities to ruin prom week for teenagers by assigning a 10-page essay? One thing to keep in mind is that even though Microsoft Excel made mathematics much easier, it also made it more accessible. If anything, we teach more maths (more abstract maths, especially) to people than we did 50 or even 20 years ago. Sometimes, technology makes something even more necessary than it was before.

This, we'll argue, is probably the case with smart glasses versus smartphones. The question probably isn't when one will replace the other, although that can make for a fun and snappy article. Rather, the question is whether the two will complement one another, or simply shift which ones are marketed to which people. 

Complementary and substitute goods

In economics, goods can be categorised into two groups with respect to their relationships with one another: complementary goods and substitute goods.

Substitute goods are exactly what they sound like: two goods that can replace one another completely. The classic example is Coca-Cola and Pepsi. In an overly simplistic economic model, sales of one should diminish sales of the other. And while this is not always the case, it's common for substitute goods to have the ability to drive one another completely out of business. 

Complementary goods, on the other hand, make it so that sales of one increase sales of the other. A common example would be computers and mouses (or mice). Sales of one should increase sales of another. The classic American combo of peanut butter and jelly is also a good example.

Obviously, in the real world, there are few examples of any of these relationships being completely direct or completely inverse. But the general principle holds that the relationship between two goods can fall into a competitive or symbiotic category. 

The question for us is, which model is pertinent to the relationship between AR glasses and smartphones?

Does the AR industry have the capability to overtake smartphones?

Probably not, in the short term. But this question misses the point.

The fact is that each technology has inherent advantages and limitations – and each can complement the other by "plugging the gaps". As one falls behind, the other takes over.

This isn't "Coke versus Pepsi". If anything, it's more "Batman and Robin".

A smartphone that can be held in your hand has an advantage over something that is worn on the head. But there are advantages to having something attached to your head as well. Below, we'll discuss the physical and psychological benefits of both smart glasses and smartphones.

The case for smartphones

A smartphone can be held any distance away from the user's eyes, as long as your arm's long enough. This creates an unmatched experience for handheld devices in certain situations. If the picture on a video or document is hard to see, small adjustments in the distance the phone is held away from the eyes create a convenient advantage for the smartphone. 

This also helps with certain apps. Video games are often harder or easier given the way they're held in the hand of the user. Other apps are used by people while climbing into the car, presumably while they're carrying a million things for work.

In many cases, having a phone in your hand can be advantageous because this allows you to integrate the device into your life with as much flexibility as your hands and arms can afford you – which, thanks to natural selection (we're looking at you, triquetral bone), is a lot.

The case for AR glasses

So smartphones are convenient. We can touch, move and manipulate them in the same way we've handled paper documents for hundreds of years. AR glasses, on the other hand, are stuck to your face. Can they compete?

They sure can. In fact, AR glasses have two key benefits precisely because they're stuck to your face.

First, advances in waveguide technology mean that the newest generation of AR glasses can display images that are crisper, brighter and more lifelike than smartphone screens. When a Forbes reviewer tried one next-generation AR headset, he described its 2K x 2K display as being "so sharp that you can see individual feathers on a photo of a bird, or ready tiny 8pt text clearly".

The second thing smart glasses offer is true hands-free usage.

A smartphone or tablet has to be handled at some point. They have to be dug out of a bag or wrenched from an inside pocket. But AR glasses? Those are a touch away. They can be activated by simply bringing one finger up to the rim of your eyewear.

And if they incorporate voice commands? Well, it just so happens that your smart glasses are right next to your mouth. And they're by your ears, so you can hear the audio response much more clearly. That seems like a pretty big advantage for someone who's trying to get their podcast started while carrying their briefcase on the Tube.

The psychological side of things

Psychologically, smartphones and AR glasses are also satisfying different subsets of needs.

Possibly the biggest advantage smart glasses have psychologically are the fashionable approach they've taken to marketing. Smart glasses are chic. They're fun, inventive, and novel. This is another reason they should be seen as a complementary good.

One advantage phones have over glasses relates to a recent concern that consumers are uncomfortable with smart eyewear if that eyewear is constantly on. This is because users can potentially use their camera function without anyone knowing.

Whereas a phone's camera is exposed upon use (we're all familiar with the common motions people make when taking a picture of a group of friends or bending down to snag a shot of a precious toddler), a camera on a pair of glasses makes it possible to grab a shot with just one click. 

Right now, tech companies have addressed these concerns by promising that cameras can only be turned on by the user. Google, for what it's worth, has removed photography functionality from its AR prototype entirely.

This is perhaps a step too far. But AR companies may want to consider universalising some processes with cameras specifically. Perhaps the same button on every smart glass can be used to take pictures so that everyone in a public place knows when one is being taken. Or possibly a light flashes, either in the front or back of the frames, when a picture is taken.

This disadvantage does become an advantage in the workplace, however. Many employers want surveillance footage of their workplace, not only for security purposes but for liability as well. And while much research needs to be done to determine the appropriate amount of surveillance, employees sometimes also want cameras in their workplace because it helps them prove they were following their job protocols without question.

Smart glasses are a great way to accomplish this. All workplaces should consider these as a complement to the security footage they already have. Imagine if a teacher could prove that a student was fooling around when their back was turned because their smart glasses didn't catch something that the classroom camera did. Imagine if all police officers were expected to wear cameras whenever settling a domestic dispute. Think about what we'd learn if every MP had to wear smart glasses when negotiating a new deal.

AR glasses are designed to serve unique functions that are important to certain subsets of users. Smartglass manufacturers should take advantage of this and integrate their software with phone technology so that as smartphone sales go up, so will the sale of smart glasses.

In all probability, this is what the future will look like.

Extended reality (XR) is revolutionising the way we do business. Want to get on board? Our online store has XR for sale from some of the industry's most trusted names, including Microsoft, RealWear and Vuzix. We also offer free demonstrations of all our tech, so you can try before you buy.