According to reports, Apple is working on a VR/AR headset.
It seems that Apple’s augmented and mixed-reality headsets are becoming more and more common in rumours and publications. Apple CEO Tim Cook has labelled augmented reality (AR) a “critically vital” and “very few profound technologies” even though the company hasn’t formally unveiled the device.
According to Apple’s rumoured plans for virtual reality, they’d like to compete with the top headsets out there, like Oculus Quest 2 or PlayStation VR 2.
In addition, Apple’s VR/AR headset is distinct from the company’s reported Apple Glasses, which would be used for augmented reality alone. In contrast, Apple’s AR/VR headset is expected to be released before the end of the year.
There have been various reports about Apple VR/AR, including the next-generation display technology, its possible pricing, and its release date. All the information you need to know about Apple’s virtual and mixed-reality headsets can be found here.
Apple VR and mixed-reality headset release date speculation
It appears that Apple’s AR/VR headset will be released in 2023. The New York Times(opens in new tab), Ming-Chi Kuo, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman all say as much.
A number of problems have been cited as the reason for Apple’s delay, including securing content for the Apple AR/VR headsets from Hollywood directors like Jon Favreau. Battery life is cited as an issue in the Times piece, as are the concerns of some Apple employees who left the company because they were worried about the headset’s potential impact on how we connect with one another.
On June 8, two days after the World Wide Developers Conference in 2022, Apple plans to seek a trademark for realityOS, according to a rumour in late May. It first prompted rumours that Apple’s AR/VR headgear could be teased at the event, which begins on June 6..
However, according to Bloomberg, Apple may delay the release of the headset. There may be a hint of it at WWDC 2022 via mentions in iOS 16, although Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman now claims that an announcement will be made at the end of that year or in 2023. Apple’s VR/AR headset is expected to be released in 2023, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst at Forrester Research.
The fact that Apple apparently showed off the AR/VR headgear to investors is encouraging, since it indicates that the gadget is nearing completion and will be available soon.
To explain this delay, it appears that Apple’s own standards, which are apparently considerably higher than those of its competitors, are to blame. This is just one of many reports from The Information detailing how the headgear project has faced numerous challenges.
A headset like this requires considerable effort, and Apple wants to make sure it’s performing its job correctly before it goes on sale. In addition, according to Kuo, the delay will give engineers additional time to finish the headset’s hardware, software, and services before it launches.
According to Kuo, Apple will unveil a second generation of the Apple headset in 2024(opens in new tab) that will be lighter and have a quicker processor than the original.
Apple VR and mixed reality headset vs Apple Glass
Supposedly, Apple’s VR and mixed reality headgear is a prelude to the company’s next glass-like wearable, the Apple Glass. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the AR lenses would provide a “optical see-through AR experience.”
According to what we’ve heard, Apple Glass will resemble a normal pair of sunglasses in both appearance and functionality. We’re referring to eyewear that can project data and, most likely, images onto the lenses.
If everything goes according to plan, the Apple VR and mixed reality headset will function much like a standard VR headset but with additional capability unlocked by cameras and sensors on the outside.
As a result, body tracking and the incorporation of real-world environments into a virtual area are both possible with Apple’s VR and mixed reality headsets. A see-through augmented reality experience might also be included in the Apple VR headset. As a result, it differs from the Oculus Quest 2 in that it isn’t a VR-only headset.
Instead of jumping on the “metaverse” bandwagon like so many others, Mark Gurman claims the Apple device will be designed for short forays into virtual reality. According to reports, Apple has stated that the metaverse is off-limits. If you don’t want to wear it all day, it won’t be a replacement for the actual world, but you may use it to communicate, browse content and play games.
Apple VR and mixed reality headset rumored price
The price of Apple’s VR and mixed reality headsets has been widely reported to be a bit erratic. According to the rumour mill, the company’s price strategy will focus on luring programmers.
Apple’s ultimate goal, according to Tim Cook, is augmented reality. Microsoft’s wearable augmented reality plans are said to begin with this device. Preparing developers for the debut of Apple Glass and ensuring that the specs have app support are the primary goals of the headgear. According to sources, the headset’s pricing will reflect the fact that Apple’s primary goal is not to earn money.
This suggests that Apple is building a product with consumers in mind, as Mark Gurman has indicated that the headset will be heavily focused on gaming, media consumption, and communication. This could lead to a lower-cost second-generation headset in the future. The first-generation headset may not be cheap, but that doesn’t mean it will be exclusively aimed at developers.
Even though Apple’s VR and mixed reality headset is expected to be pricey, reports differ as to how much it will cost.
Virtual reality headsets are expected to cost as much as $3,000, according to a report from The Information. While the Microsoft Hololens 2 costs a startling $3,500, gaming VR headsets rarely cost more than $1,000
Gurman predicts a price tag of $2,000 or more for the headset. The headset’s hardware, which could feature the Apple M1 Pro chip, an extended development period, and the customary extra markup applied to other Apple products, is expected to account for the price..
In contrast, Ming-Chi Kuo has estimated that the headset will be sold for $1,000. Or, it’s the same as the iPhone 12 Pro. Despite the fact that this is still pricey, the average developer can afford it. Especially if the headset’s power output is as great as previously reported.
According to Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), Apple’s headset is expected to cost “several thousand dollars.”
In any event, the price of admission will be significant, and it will undoubtedly be far greater than the price of existing standalone virtual reality headsets. The Oculus Quest 2 is $300 more expensive than the Oculus Rift.
Apple VR and mixed reality headset rumored features
Mixed reality is the primary function of the Apple headset. To test capabilities like hand-tracking and gesture control, Mark Gurman says the headgear will have external cameras that are now being used. This includes the possibility of using a virtual keyboard to type in the air.
It’s been reported that the headset would include 12 tracking cameras that can send information to two 8K monitors in front of the user’s eyes, according to the Information(opens in new tab). To top it all off, the headset is expected to include LiDAR sensors. Display Supply Chain Consultants, or DSCC, reports that Sony is making 4K 4000 x 4000 displays for Apple’s headgear with a 1.4-inch diagonal. This story was challenged by Display Supply Chain Consultants. LiDAR was mentioned by the DSCC, though.
A little primer on LiDAR: it uses lasers to measure distance, thus it can quickly and precisely gather data on the size of a space. Apple’s high-end iPad Pro and iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max have both already been used in this way, as have other high-end smartphones.
According to at least one source, Apple isn’t focusing on games when it comes to its next virtual reality gear. Because early adopters are generally drawn to amenities like gaming, this seems like a strange move.
It’s possible, according to DSCC, that Apple could fit three displays into its headset. Two 4K Sony panels, as well as a larger lower-resolution AMOLED display on the rear, are possible options. Reports claim this would allow Apple to design a display that is more focused on the user’s eyes.
When a person looks at something, they’re looking at their fovea, which sits at the back of their eye, on the retina. To improve central vision, the fovea aids. By using eye tracking, a foveated VR headset might reduce the resolution around the periphery while still focusing a picture on what the user is looking at. You may learn more about fixed foveated rendering (also known as FFR) in this helpful video from YouTube channel SweViver(opens in new tab).
As a result, all those sensors may not be operating independently. A “thimble-like” device will be worn on a user’s finger to help with hand tracking and other controls, according to reports from The Information.
As a result, Gurman’s source says the headset will be equipped with Apple’s “most advanced and powerful processors.” Apple’s virtual reality headset is rumoured to include a more powerful chip than the recently released M1 Mac chip.
According to a recent claim from Kuo, the headset will be equipped with a brace of CPUs, indicating that Apple will not be cutting corners when it comes to performance.
While the M1 for Mac has similar processing capabilities, Kuo anticipates that the lower-end processor will be responsible for sensor-related work.
Also, according to The Information, the headset will have two processors on board, one of which is the M2 chip that is expected to be included in products like the new MacBook Air later this year.
There will be a substantial demand for power to run all that stuff, according to Kuo. So much so, that a MacBook charger appears to be included with the headset to keep everything running.
As recently as a few months ago, Kuo also revealed that the device would be able to use “extremely sensitive 3D sensing modules” to enable hand gesture commands and object identification.
This AR/MR headset will be able to detect not only the change in location but also the dynamic detail change of the user’s hand and item in front of their eyes, he forecasts. He says. By tracking a user’s hand movement, Kuo suggested that when they open their palm, the machine may show them a balloon floating away as if it had just been released.
According to a patent discovered by Apple Insider, Apple is working on smart rings that can capture finger and hand motions. This could be used to enhance the capabilities of the external cameras when used with a virtual reality or mixed reality headset.
An Apple Pencil is mentioned in the patent as an object that can be detected by the system. As a result, the headset will know what you’re doing and adjust its features accordingly. If you use an Apple Pencil, it will still recognise that you want to write by hand rather than type. Continuing on in this vein
A folding design for the “3P pancake lenses” is predicted by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, according to whom light will be reflected back and forth from the display to the lenses. As a result, a more compact and lightweight headset might be created.
Besides Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, Ming-Chi Kuo also claims that the headset would be capable of transferring massive volumes of data with low latency. You could theoretically use an iPhone or a Mac for all the hard work and beam it directly to your headset without requiring a physical cord.
Apple will be able to reduce the headset’s weight and extend its battery life by not performing all of the computation on the headset itself.
Apple VR and mixed reality headset design
Apple’s rumoured mixed reality headgear has been sketched out, according to an early 2021 story by The Information. Early prototype work by Apple engineers may or may not be reflected in the final product depicted here.
Ian Zelbo, a concept artist, has made some renderings of a hypothetical headset design based on The Information’s disclosure earlier this year.
However, with this being Apple, we would expect the headset to have a clean industrial design with a lot of user ergonomics in mind, anyway.
The Apple headset is expected to weigh between 300 and 400 grammes (a little less than a pound), according to Ming-Chi Kou. According to Kou, there is a lighter version in the works for a future release.
Apple Glasses realityOS
Apple appears to be giving a customised operating system for a new device form factor, based on “realityOS” references found in App Store upload logs by eagle-eyed developers.
Despite the lack of details, it would make sense for Apple to develop its own OS for its virtual and augmented reality devices. Such future operating system will likely resemble iOS more than macOS, according to our best guesses at this point.
Apple VR and mixed reality headset: Will you want to buy it?
Apple’s AR/VR mixed reality headset is expected to be geared toward professionals and developers, according to current sources and rumours. The objective is to provide developers an actual gadget to practise building augmented reality apps before Apple Glasses AR specifications are released.
If Apple’s AR/VR headset goes for as much as $3,000, we’ve heard from a number of sources, while other sources say the headgear would cost “several thousand dollars.”
However, with the Apple Glasses still a few years away, the headset’s allure could fade with the passage of time. There are more apps that can be developed and released if developers have a lot of time on their hands. That is, if the price tag does not continue to deter people from purchasing the product.
A second version of Apple’s virtual reality headset may be possible in 2024, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. He believes this headgear will rival the Oculus Quest 2’s sales of 10 million units. It’s possible that this headset may appeal to a broader range of consumers.
Apple VR and mixed reality headset wish list: What we want
Most VR headsets aren’t designed for long-term use due to their uncomfortable design. After around 30 minutes, the level of discomfort begins to rise. Of course, the more time you can spend using the headset, the more comfy it will be right out of the box.
As long as Apple can make the AirPods Pro as unnoticeable as possible, it will be able to do the same with its upcoming mixed reality headset.
Standalone headsets’ battery life isn’t the best it could be right now. Depending on what you’re doing, the Oculus Quest 2 can last anywhere from two to three hours. A minimum of this much battery life, if not more, is what we’d like to see from Apple’s VR and mixed reality gear.
The Apple headgear has the potential to revolutionise fitness tracking, especially if it is integrated with Apple Fitness Plus and the Apple Watch. You might track your progress while working out with a personal trainer using the device.
A mixed-reality headset with genuine augmented reality capabilities would be ideal for the company’s wearable AR initiatives. Apple should at the very least do everything it can to ensure that any see-through AR feature is as realistic as possible, even if users are always aware that the headset is in place. In other words, you may expect sharp images with little to no judder, as well as a wide field of vision.
It’s a developer device, therefore Apple should make sure there’s a good reason for people to buy it. If the headset is really that expensive, don’t just release it. Beyond the branding, provide customers a compelling incentive to purchase your product.