After years of mystery and anticipation, the arrival of Apple’s mixed reality headset is imminent. Here’s everything we know, and what you need to know.
What is this famous virtual reality and/or augmented reality headset from Apple?
This mixed reality headset would be Apple’s version of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets. It will have the same functions as the headsets currently on the market, but it will probably come with more advanced technology.
The existence of this headset has not been confirmed by Apple. However, analysts and Apple aficionados have been following the company’s activities closely and have been able to spot clues about the headset’s specs.
What will be the name of Apple’s headphones?
Patent filings give us a clue to the name of Apple’s headphones, which will include the word “Reality”. Last August, Bloomberg assured that a shell company, linked to law firms that Apple has already used, filed trademark applications in several countries for the names “Reality One”, “Reality Pro” and ” Reality Processor”.
A few months earlier, another screen company had filed two patents for “RealityOS”, which could refer to the software used by the headset. It’s not unusual for a company like Apple to use a shell company to keep a low profile. Before the macOS Yosemite and Monterey names were announced, Apple used front company Yosemite Research LLC to register the names.
How much should the helmet cost?
According to Bloomberg, the headset can be expected to cost between $2,000 and $3,000 due to the M2 chip it will use, the high number of cameras, and its high-resolution displays. Apple’s headphones would therefore be at a higher price level than market competitors. Meta’s Quest Pro headset sells for 1,800 euros and the HTC Vive Focus 3 for 1,400 euros.
When did rumors about Apple’s headphone concept start circulating?
Rumors of a top-secret Apple VR/AR headset began in 2017, when Bloomberg reported on “rOS,” an operating system that was allegedly created to run the virtual reality product. At the time, Bloomberg predicted the product would be ready to ship as early as 2020, but now, six years after the rumor started, we know how it turned out.
What is the expected release date now?
According to the latest projections, we should not wait much longer, despite the constant delays. Initially, the product was supposed to launch in 2019, then it was delayed to 2020, 2021, 2022 and now 2023.
Apple could have launched the product in January 2023, with shipments to follow later in the year. However, that plan has also been delayed, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Mark Gurman believes Apple will now announce the headset in the spring, ahead of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. Apple frequently uses WWDC to advertise its products. At WWDC 2022, the brand announced its new software updates for the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, as well as the latest iteration of its chip.
Forecasts by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple specialist, are also in line with those of Mark Gurman. In December, he predicted that the launch could take place in the second half of 2023 due to software issues. “Apple’s mixed reality headset shipping schedule may be delayed to 2:23 a.m. due to software issues,” it read. in one of his tweets.
Of course, Apple has not yet confirmed the existence of this helmet or the date of its launch.
Are there any prototypes?
Mark Gurman explains that Apple has already shared the product with a small number of software developers to test it, which means that there is already a finished product, or at least a prototype. The internal codename for Apple’s first headset is N301, according to Bloomberg. A later model bears the name N602. And lightweight glasses of augmented reality glasses are codenamed N421. These last two models should be launched towards the end of the decade.
Aren’t there already headsets that can be used with Apple products?
If you really want to explore virtual reality with your Apple device, there are already devices on the market that allow you to do so. Meta’s Quest 2 sits in the lower price bracket of headsets without compromising on value. ZDNET ranked it as the best overall VR headset due to its ease of setup, comfortable controls, excellent tracking, and high resolution screen.
If you’re a proud owner of the Apple ecosystem, a great, more affordable option is the HoloKit X. This headset leverages Apple’s technology to create an unforgettable augmented reality experience. The iPhone serves as the headset’s eyes, and all you have to do is pair it to an app to turn it on. The headset is also built into the Apple Watch, allowing you to track your wrist movements and play games that require hand movements.
Who is the target audience for the headset?
The Apple headset is expected to be a high-end, feature-packed headset that’s ideal for professionals or people who are really into augmented reality and virtual reality. If you just want to explore and play with AR and VR, a more affordable headset might be a better option for you.
What impact will Apple’s launch have on the industry?
As there is talk of a potential metaverse on the horizon, more and more companies are developing augmented reality and virtual reality headsets. Like Apple, the tech giant waited for other companies to dabble in it and for public interest to grow to finally hit the scene.
The first modern AR/VR headset, the Oculus Rift, was launched in March 2016. Since then, Meta, which acquired Oculus in 2014, continued to develop and release VR/AR devices, until its latest helmet of 2022, the Meta Quest Pro. During these six years that Meta continued to develop in this sector, Apple waited.
“After Apple launches an AR/MR headset, I believe that Apple’s global rivals will compete to imitate it, which will lead the headset hardware industry to the next stage of growth and benefit services and to the related content ecosystem,” writes Ming-Chi Kuo.
In the past, when Apple finally chose to enter an industry, the company revolutionized and dominated it, creating new interest and raising the standards of the product. Just think of the iPhone. Suppose that Apple will have the same effect on the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.
Source: ZDNet.com