Hands-On to Heads-Up

With sales of smartphones plateauing, and upgrades to their functionality arguably growing less substantive with each new iteration (How many cameras does a phone actually need? Is a folding screen really that useful?), the era of handheld device domination seems to be coming to a close. It might be hard to believe at the present moment, but a suite of devices is already in development that is strategically positioned to unseat the mighty smartphone as the primary personal device. Central among them is smart glasses, the long-awaited wearable that gives the average user access to on-demand data overlays and a rich array of augmented and virtual realities, without ever having to lift a finger. With conversation about the metaverse at a fever pitch, it’s no wonder that tech giants from Apple to Amazon have invested years of research and development into smart glasses, the key to unlocking this nascent virtual ecosystem. Powered with advanced voice assistant technology, as well as touchless gesture control, these smart glasses—along with a selection of other wearable digital accessories—will establish a new paradigm in how humans interact with our personal technology. Instead of constantly staring at a smartphone screen, we will free up our hands for other tasks as we take in text, audio, video, and virtually rendered content without ever having to lose sight of the world around us. By layering digital elements into our field of vision, these devices will enable a revolutionary and liberating transition from hands-on to heads-up computing.