The object of all fantasies. This is a bit of how Apple’s whispered mixed reality headset, the brand’s first new product since the launch of the Apple Watch in 2015, is perceived. Officially, it doesn’t exist and neither Tim Cook nor anyone on the Cupertino side has mentioned it. the smallest detail about him. We only know that the Apple boss has a soft spot for augmented reality compared to virtual reality. That’s good, the probable home helmet should do both.
And Mark Gurman, Bloomberg’s trade journalist, never fails to pour out a plethora of tidbits about this mixed-reality headset, which he says should be out in the spring. The always well-informed reporter takes stock this week of all the information about the product that claims to be “a 3D version of the iPhone operating system” and even gives many more details about its operation.
A very high-end helmet to do everything
Also designed with the help of Sony Group Corp, the headphones promise to be comfortable, with aluminum frames, glass, and ear cushions similar to those of the AirPods Max headphones. It should take advantage of two ultra-high-resolution screens, multiple external cameras to also see what’s going on around the user, eye and hand tracking, speakers and microphones.
Like the Meta Quest Pro, the headset possibly named Reality Pro should focus on productivity, virtual meetings and immersive video, with video conference rooms and meetings based on FaceTime, Apple’s video messaging service. Other functions taken from the iPhone and iPad will be taken advantage of. For Mark Gurman, the headset can also be connected to a Mac to serve as an external display.
Apple would have also thought of glasses users with specialized lenses to integrate them into the helmet and carry the set without discomfort.
Without controls and with an interface close to that of the iPhone
On the user side, Apple intends to do without controls and everything will be based on the detection of hands and eyes. Simply pinch and move your fingers to activate tasks. Siri would come as a reinforcement for the voice controls of an interface close to that of the iPhone. A digital crown similar to the one on the Apple Watch would allow you to toggle between augmented and virtual reality.
According to Bloomberg citing anonymous experts, this ability to go from the virtual to the real world with additional elements of a movement would be the highlight of the kits, with “the realistic rendering of the face and body via FaceTime” as well as the interior and outdoor cameras.
The device would be carried by an M2 chip, already present in the latest MacBook Air as well as the iPad Pro, but also by a processor to manage mixed reality. The battery would be in an external pack connected by a cable. A way to prevent the helmet from heating up on the face or back in case of intensive use. The autonomy would be two hours, as is usually the case with this type of wireless headphones.
Disney, Dolby and developers in the viewer
Obviously a high-end product in sight, and announced at almost $3,000 (approximately 2,900 euros HT), the mixed reality headset must have a content proposal to match, and if possible new compared to the Quest and other HTC Vive. It could be talked about at the upcoming WWDC developer conference in June to woo creators into wanting to design apps ahead of a release expected in early 2024. But not just them.
Apple is also said to have entered negotiations with a dozen partners, including Disney, to provide virtual reality content. The Apple brand already has a large number of augmented reality applications that just need to be adapted to a new medium. However, his platform would need new blood to stand out. He would also have approached Dolby, a specialist in sound and image. Acquired in 2020, the streaming company NextVR would be in charge of creating sports content in VR.
Source: BFM TV
