According to Bloomberg, Apple presented a very advanced prototype of its future VR/AR headset to its board of directors. Usually when Apple does that, the product is about to be announced.
What do Arthur Levinson (Calico), James Bell (Boeing) and former US Vice President Al Gore have in common? According to a Bloomberg article published on May 19, they were all able to discover Apple’s future VR / AR headset in preview, as a member of its board of directors.
Bloomberg reports that Apple management, presumably through Tim Cook, also a member of the board of directors, took advantage of its last meeting to discover the helmet. Bloomberg indicates that Apple has a habit of presenting products in advance of their commercialization to the board of directors when they are finished. The example of Siri is cited, shown ” Several weeks “ before its introduction in October 2011.
An immediate announcement?
A few days before WWDC, such an announcement revives rumors about the presentation of Apple’s VR/AR headset on June 6, during Apple’s developer conference. This date has long been mentioned before becoming unlikely, Bloomberg believing in particular that Apple would prefer to remain cautious by announcing its product between the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. We continue to think that Apple could indeed show its headphones in the coming days. , but Bloomberg’s reluctance tends to make us think we’re probably getting carried away. Announcements are possible (especially on rOS, Apple’s operating system dedicated to augmented reality), but the presentation of the helmet is unlikely.
What will Apple’s headphones be used for?
The usefulness of Apple’s first VR/AR headset is mysterious. Accustomed to releasing products for the general public, designed to become huge successes, Apple would deny its DNA with a more experimental product, especially designed to test the waters and prepare the experiences of the future. The headset would use cameras to replicate reality in virtual reality, much like what Facebook promised with its future headset (so-called mixed reality). Its price, above 2,000 dollars, should also slow down a lot of consumers. This product has everything from a high-end development kit, pending the arrival of real augmented reality glasses in the medium term.
According to several sources, Apple has adapted all its applications to its virtual world (Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, iMessage, etc.). The helmet would be autonomous and would benefit from the power of a specially improved M1 chip, which would make it one of the most interesting products on the market at launch. It is still necessary that the developers quickly offer plenty of suitable applications.