It’s increasingly looking like Apple’s next big thing won’t be something that fits in your pocket or purse. Rather, it could be another portable device. Analysts Ming Chi-Kuo said in 2021 that Apple’s “goal is to replace the iPhone with AR in 10 years.” Here’s everything we know so far about Apple’s rumored mixed-reality headset.
Apple AR/VR headset: latest rumours
January 11, 2023: Apple recently released preview versions of Apple Music, TV, and Devices apps for Windows PC. References to “Reality OS” and “xrOS” were found in the code for the Devices app.
January 3, 2023: The Information has an article claiming to reveal several new tech details about Apple’s device, including a waist-mounted battery pack, digital crown, how it works with AirPods, and much more.
December 1, 2022: In another first for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman reports that the operating system for Apple’s AR/VR project has been renamed from “realityOS” to “xrOS,” and that the heads of many of Apple’s internal apps are involved in the project.
September 25, 2022: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in the Power On newsletter (subscription required) that Apple’s headset could be released in 2023.
June 6, 2022: The New York Times reports that Apple has “enlisted Hollywood directors like Jon Favreau.” develop content for his upcoming headset.
Apple AR/VR headset: release date
The latest rumors mainly come from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who reports that development of the operating system (xrOS) and other software for the headset is now in high gear with a release date targeting 2023.
The latest rumors suggest a possible spring reveal, followed by more detailed information for developers at WWDC and a consumer release in the second half of 2023.
Apple has released a preview version of a “Devices” app for Windows PCs (which could manage iPhones and other devices on a Windows PC while iTunes is being phased out; Macs use Finder for this task). Twitter user @aaronp613 discovered references in this release’s code to “Reality OS” and “xrOS”, the operating system codenames for Apple’s Reality headset.
The headset will supposedly be called “Reality Pro,” though rumors of Apple’s eventual consumer branding are notoriously vague.
Apple AR/VR Headset: Design
While the ultimate goal of Apple’s AR project is to produce fashionable smart glasses, the first version will reportedly be much larger than that, weighing between 300 and 400 grams, according to Ming-Chi Kuo. According to reports, the first-generation Apple headset will be an Oculus-style headset with a knitted, mesh-wrapped body, similar to the AirPods Max. It could look like a slimmer version of Google’s Daydream headset, which also had a soft fabric casing. A patent application for a “head-mounted display unit” also describes several areas of customization, meaning comfort will be an area of focus. Presumably the device is made of aluminum, glass and carbon fiber to minimize weight.
However, we don’t know much more about the design of Apple’s AR device. While Jon Prosser reported that Apple is working on prototype AR glasses, more recent rumors suggest bona fide glasses are likely still years away from production. In January, Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple will be using “pancake” lenses to keep weight and bulk down. The current design resembles high-tech ski goggles.
While rumor has it that Apple experimented with a battery integrated into the headband, like the Meta Quest Pro, it eventually settled on an external battery that you would clip around your waist or put in a pocket, connected to the headset with a magnetically attached (think Magsafe on MacBooks) power cable. One charge is said to only last a few hours, but you can swap out the battery packs to use the device for longer.
Curiously, Kuo says Apple is already working on a second-generation model (via 9to5Mac) expected to launch in 2024 with a “significantly lighter” and “updated industrial” design.
The New York Times reported in June that the headset “looks like ski goggles.” The information says a small digital crown-like wheel on the side lets users switch seamlessly between fully virtual (VR) and seeing their surroundings (AR).
Apple AR/VR Headset: Audio
According to a report from The Information, the latency for most wireless earbuds or headphones is too high for their purposes, so users will have to use one of two solutions. One is a headband with integrated speakers (similar to the one on the Meta Quest Pro), the other is to use recent AirPods models, which can activate an “ultra-low latency” mode when connected to the headset. The headset apparently contains the H2 processors (found in the 2nd generation AirPods Pro).
Apple AR/VR Headset: Views
Apple’s glasses, as a mixed reality device, are rumored to be able to handle both virtual and augmented reality via a pair of high-resolution OLED 4K displays made by Sony, including eye-tracking technology. The headset will reportedly feature more than a dozen cameras and sensors, according to The Information, that will project a real-world image onto the screens as if you were looking through clear glass. It will presumably use OLED or mini-LED and also feature Apple’s Ceramic Shield coating.
In January, Display Supply Chain Consultants reported that the headset will have “three display modules” consisting of two Micro OLED displays and one AMOLED panel. The AMOLED display is apparently a low refresh display facing outwardsto let other people see your facial expression and reduce the awkwardness of interacting with people wearing the headset.
Small internal motors are said to automatically adjust the lenses and displays to match IPD (interpupillary distance, the distance between the user’s eyes) and give a full 120-degree field of view.
Apple AR/VR headset: processor and specifications
According to Kuo (via Macrumors), Apple’s AR headset will have two processors, with the more expensive processor having “comparable computing power to the M1 for Mac” and the secondary chip being responsible for “sensor-related computing.” It sounds like a lot of processing power for a headset, but if the headset is to power a pair of 4K displays, it needs a hefty chip. Reports also say it should be tethered to an iPhone just like the original Apple Watch.
Kuo also reported that the headset will support Wi-Fi 6E, which is rumored to be coming to the iPhone 14 as well. It will also presumably have at least 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB hard drive. We don’t know about battery life yet, but Kuo says improving battery life will be a focus of the second-generation model. Kuo reports that the headset comes with the same 96W power adapter as the MacBook Pro, suggesting it will have a large battery.
The information says that the device is powered by a main SoC with CPU, GPU, RAM and storage, along with a secondary custom image signal processor that aggregates all inputs from all cameras into a single view of the outside world, and it communicates with the SoC via a custom ultra-low latency streaming codec developed by Apple.
The headset is said to use both short- and long-range LiDAR to develop a 3D map of your surroundings.
Apple
Apple AR/VR headset: apps and functionality
As a mixed reality device, Apple’s headset will also handle both AR and VR applications, making the headset open to a variety of apps. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also said gaming could have “a strong focus” on the platform, as well as “media consumption”. He expects Apple to work closely with developers and media partners to create content that can be viewed in VR on the device. Apple will also likely use VR content with its own TV+ service.
Apple will certainly also have apps dedicated to AR-like things, like the Measure app and things like the tool that lets you see a 3D rendering of Apple products before you buy it. In addition, in a December report, Gurman said the iPhone’s Animojis and VR FaceTime could be positioned as “the new zoom.”
The headset is expected to ship with new versions of core apps like Messages and Maps, and reports claim that Apple recently enlisted the chief engineering officer for its iWork productivity apps, Notes app, and Apple News to work on the headset .
We’ve been told that we can also expect a software development kit and an App Store for third-party applications.
The New York Times reported in June that Apple “enlisted Hollywood directors like Jon Favreau” to develop content for its upcoming headset. The report said Favreau “is working to bring (Prehistoric Planet’s) dinosaurs to life on the headset.”
Apple AR/VR headset: price
As for the price, rumors suggest that the first iteration could be an extremely expensive device, potentially costing several thousand dollars. In December, a report from Display Supply Chain Consultants noted that volume estimates for AR headset displays “look low for next year,” likely indicating a high price tag (and low sales). With a price tag out of reach for most people, the AR headset would be primarily a proof of concept device for diehards and developers, but no less exciting for the future of Apple wearables.
