The CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, wants to put people first.
No Apple VR/AR headsets were mentioned at WWDC 2022, despite some strong anticipation. In an interview with China Daily USA(opens in new tab) on June 21, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “Stay Tuned” to see what Apple has to offer.
The interview did yield some interesting nuggets, despite the fact that it provided nothing in the way of specifics. To begin, the interview primarily focused on augmented reality, rather than virtual reality. Even while this may have been a mistake on the side of either Cook or the interviewer, it feels deliberate.
Therefore, it appears that Cook’s interview was expressly planned to emphasize on the future of AR rather than VR, given his mention of “almost 14,000 ARKit apps in [Apple] App Store.” In the past, Cook has expressed a bias for AR, so this comes as no surprise.
Apple VR/AR: What is the difference between VR and AR?
Immersion is the major distinction between VR and AR, without delving into the nitty-gritty. In a VR (virtual reality) experience, the user is immersed in a digitally created world. Few virtual reality headsets exist, most of them for gaming purposes. Currently, the Oculus Quest 2 is the greatest virtual reality headset on the market.
You can add digital functions to your physical experience using AR (augmented reality). Examples of AR products include Snap Spectacles and an alleged Google Glass sequel from Alphabet, just to name a few. Digital overlays, such as a photo filter, can be applied to what the wearer can see with their own two eyes with the help of these devices.
A third option is MR, which integrates elements of both VR and AR into a single device. However, the new Apple headgear may also be an MR device, as is the case with Microsoft’s Hololens 2.
In addition to Project Cambria, Meta is working on a number of mixed reality headsets. Just last week, Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated several prototype VR headgear to indicate where this new category could go. Mark Zuckerberg.
Apple VR/AR: What we know so far
Apple’s VR/AR mixed reality headset has yet to get an official announcement, but there have been a number of speculations that suggest otherwise.
First and foremost, this VR/AR gear differs from Apple Glasses in a number of ways. An AR-only device, the Apple Glasses, is also a separate hardware project that has been rumored. If both devices are released to the public, expect these to be a direct competition to the future Google Glass.
The metaverse will not be integrated into this VR/AR mixed reality headset, despite the fact that it is a mixed reality headset. When asked about the need of putting humans at the core of any technology, including augmented reality, Cook told the China Daily USA that “that is what we focus on every day.” The Apple VR/AR headset is designed to allow users to communicate, consume material, and play games, but it is not meant to take the place of actual human interaction.
Rumors currently indicate that the Apple VR/AR headset will be released sometime in 2023, potentially in the second quarter of 2019. In addition, they are projected to be expensive, maybe in the same ballpark as Microsoft’s Hololens 2. The VR/AR headset may be part of a more accessible mixed reality ecosystem, despite the fact that many consumers may not be able to afford it. realityOS, which could be used on Apple Glasses and the upcoming Apple VR/AR headset, is said to be a trademark of Apple.