Apple might actually release augmented reality contact lenses in the 2030s, per Ming Chi-Kuo

Ming Chi-Kuo recently made a bold prediction about the future of Apple's mobile devices. In a research note that MacRumors accessed, Kuo reportedly claimed that Cupertino will have smart augmented reality contact lenses out on the market by the 2030s.

How exactly would these AR-enabled "iLenses" work, though? Kuo states that the lenses will likely have minimal independent processing power - they will depend on other devices like your iPhone to meet their computational needs. In some respects, this mirrors the functionality of the Apple Watch, though Apple's current wearables maintain a lot of functionality without the need to connect to a smartphone. 

In the research note, Kuo also asserted that Apple will release other wearables this decade - we're likely to see the company's first mixed reality headset as early as 2022. And by 2025, Kuo predicts that Apple will launch augmented reality glasses. 

So far, Apple's been late to the VR/AR game, with products like the Oculus Rift, Valve Index, and HP Reverb G2 marking their territory. When Apple brings out its headset, it could potentially address many of the problems that have stood in the way of the truly mainstream adoption of AR/VR to date.