Apple is rumored to be planning a VR/AR headset next year. Now, a new patent application suggests that the company may use the potential upcoming eyewear to solidify its reputation for putting user privacy front and center.

First spotted by Patently Apple, the bulk of this patent application is devoted to describing how the Face ID profile is set up to adjust according to the degree of visual impairment, but the most interesting section is on "privacy eyewear" worn

"In some embodiments, the user interacts with calibration graphics... The graphic output on the display can be intentionally blurred," the patent reads."

It continues, "Wearing "privacy eyewear" can counteract intentional blurring."

This means that the screen will appear blurry to everyone except the wearer of the linked eyewear. This means that anyone on the subway who tries to read your e-mail over your shoulder will be severely disappointed, and you can continue to work in peace as long as you wear your "privacy eyewear."

As expected, the patent application does not mention any specific hardware, but the diagram above shows something very similar to the iPhone. Nevertheless, there is no reason why something like this could not be equally applicable to MacBooks and iPads, as long as the appropriate front-facing camera technology is in place.

Apple Glasses is also not mentioned, which is doubly unsurprising given that this is not something Apple has mentioned, but simply a strongly rumored product. However, it would certainly seem to be a wise match and would tie in with the company's continued push as it relates to user privacy.

If correct, this theoretical feature is still a ways off. Apple's first AR headset may appear next year, according to some reports, but Apple Glasses are much further away, with those in the know saying 2023 at the earliest, maybe even later.

It is also worth noting that companies file patents all the time, which does not necessarily indicate something that will appear in a commercial product.

But if the technology works as written, it certainly seems like a sensible path. After all, who wouldn't want to read private messages in public without having to worry about prying eyes?