How Do We Make AR Smart Glasses Lighter, Cheaper? With a '5G Neckband'

pcmag.com:

Motorola and Verizon have collaborated to make a 5G neckband to allow VR headsets and AR smart glasses to be lighter and more scalable devices.

Motorola refers to the new device as a 5G XR neckband. According to Engadget, the main neckband module measures 2.1-by-3.8-inches and weighs 3.5 ounces (100 grams). Inside you'll find a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with power provided by a 5,000mAh battery. There's also an embedded gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, and GPS. On the exterior there's a touchpad, a SIM card slot, and a sturdy band allowing the device to hang comfortably around your neck.

What you can't see in the single image Motorola released is a "trapezoid-shaped module" sitting around the back of the band weighing 2.6 ounces (75 grams) and containing a loud speaker. Spread across the front and back modules, as well as along the band, is an array of 5G antennae to allow access to Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network.

By moving wireless communications, processing power, and audio output to a separate device located around a person's neck, Motorola is opening the way for much lighter and cheaper virtual reality headsets and augmented reality glasses to be developed. In the image above, the neckband is being worn by someone who's also wearing Lenovo's ThinkReality A3 headset, which could now be simplified.

Brian Mecum, Vice President of Device Technology at Verizon, mentions the combination of neckband and "ultra-lightweight AR smart glasses" as being useful for sports training and fan experiences, but also both consumer and enterprise applications across a wide range of fields. There's no word on pricing or availability yet, though.

Could we all be wearing sunglasses and neckband combinations in the coming