Form, a sportstech company, has partnered with Apple to sell its augmented reality (AR) swimming goggles, named Smart Swim 2. Starting November 5, the product can be purchased at Apple stores in Canada and the U.S. It will also be available online in both countries as well as the U.K.

Smart Swim 2 goggles look like traditional swim eyewear, but boast a patented AR display that can be worn on a person’s left or right eye. Its lens shows real-time metrics on a user’s stroke rate, distance, pace, and more through a transparent view. The fit and construction is built to high specs, with Form-specific eye seals that are comfortable and secure, and the option to change out the size of the arched nose bridge.

The goggles provide a number of noteworthy features beyond its AR display. It has an integrated heart monitor that measures through the temple and a digital compass that gives navigational feedback — helping swimmers to remain straight on their intended path, and stay safe, conserve energy, and save time. The goggles also have the option to let users generate workouts by pasting, scanning, or importing them from training platforms, emails, or images through the app.

The product is being sold for USD $249 and will include a free one-month trial of its premium features, which include specialized workouts, training plans, and coaching. Following the trial, users can keep their access by paying USD $15 a month or $99 annually.

The company was launched in 2016 by Dan Eisenhardt, a former competitive swimmer and second-time founder. Eisenhardt previously co-created Recon Instruments — the maker behind the world’s first smart eyewear for sports — and was the CEO prior to Intel acquiring the startup in 2015.

"Being featured in Apple Stores is a significant milestone for any brand,” Eisenhardt told the Vancouver Tech Journal. I experienced this firsthand with my previous company, Recon, when Apple stocked our Oakley Airwave AR ski and snowboard goggles back in 2012. Having Apple now recognize Form and offer Smart Swim 2 in their stores is a powerful endorsement. This partnership illustrates for Vancouver entrepreneurs that opportunities to collaborate with major tech leaders are within reach. Our alignment —combined with Form's innovative AR tech and relationship-building — has made this opportunity possible.”

According to Form, the Smart Swim 2 was awarded “Best Wearable” at the 2024 Sports Technology Awards. They’re also race-approved by World Triathlon, USA Triathlon, British Triathlon, and the Professional Triathlon Organization. 

A look at the market shows more athletes are using wearable tech to improve performance and prevent injuries — including for the Olympics and in the NBA. At the same time, tech giants are betting big on AR glasses, marketing the eyewear as critical for building the next computing platform, and reshaping how we socialize, work, and learn. 

Meta’s Ray-Bans launched in September 2023 with a camera to capture content, as well as doubling as a pair of headphones. Its latest software update in April this year integrated a multimodal AI tool, which allows users to ask the glasses to identify what they’re looking at. 

Last month, Snap launched its fifth generation AR Spectacles. It shows information and apps directly on the lenses rather than through a screen, to make sure the images don’t cover the wearer’s field-of-view. Users can browse the web, watch videos, play games, mirror their phone, generate 3D objects,and even talk to an AI assistant. Meanwhile, Google’s Gemini AI and Samsung are teaming up to build a product that competes with Meta’s Ray-Bans.

Alongside launching Form's goggles in-store, Apple's interest in the tech has been hinted at through the release of its AR toolkit, which enables developers to create AR experiences through apps and games. CEO Tim Cook has also previously endorsed the development of the tech, highlighting it as among the few that he’s excited about.

Editors note: This story has been updated to include a new quote from Form’s founder, Dan Eisenhardt.

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