Apple Reality headset latest including leaked specs and renders
A mixed reality headset from the maker of the iPhone? It's looking likely....
Apple doesn’t launch entirely new products very often, so when there’s one imminent it is BIG news. Here’s what we know so far about the Apple Reality or Reality Pro headset which should debut at Apple’s developer conference (WWDC23) later today. Is this Apple’s most revolutionary product since the iPhone?
Talk of an Apple virtual reality (VR) headset has been doing the rounds for years, and it’s looking very much like something concrete might be in the pipeline. We now believe the initial Apple Reality launch will be a mixed reality (MR) headset.
So instead of just being a virtual world that you see, it will overlay information and images on the real world. That puts it somewhere in the sphere of Microsoft Hololens (not moving onto a third version, it seems) and Google Glass. That would also make sense given Apple’s work on ARKit for the iPad and iPhone.
So what do we know so far? And when is the Apple Reality headset (or whatever it ends up being called) likely to see the light of day?
Apple Reality headset leaked specs
According to Bloomberg, Apple’s headset has been in the works since 2015. And that means the specs will have changed dramatically over time. The most recent version is said to be powered by a version of Apple’s own M1 chip, with 8K resolution, a 120-degree field of view and eye-tracking technology on the inside, and multiple cameras on the outside. More recent rumours unsurprisingly peg a newer M2 chip as being used.
Thanks to leaks via display analyst Ross Young, we now have more details on the dual 4K OLED displays (so 8K). Each display will measure 1.4in in diameter and offer a large 5000 nits of brightness and come in at a huge 4000 pixels per inch (ppi). With that kind of brightness capability, it should support HDR.
Both the brightness and the 8K resolution will be hard to match by rivals – Meta’s Quest Pro 2 uses LCD tech for example. The Apple Reality displays are rumoured to be the main reason why the headset is expected to be very expensive initially.
The headset is predicted to come with motorised interpupilary distance (IPD) adjustment, and support prescription lenses with a magnetic mounting system.
Why is is mixed reality rather than augmented reality?
Apple has been pushing AR apps pretty hard on iOS in recent years, and a dedicated set of Apple AR glasses have been long rumoured. References to ‘realityOS’ have been spotted in pre-release iOS builds, App Store upload logs and trademark filings going all the way back to 2017. More recently, there have been trademarks leaked for ‘xrOS’, which could be an alternative name for the software.
Reports in early 2022 suggested that Apple’s board was given a demo of the aforementioned mixed-reality headset. Apple reportedly shelved its plans to release a more comprehensive augmented reality headset. Previous rumours suggested that the first device, codenamed N301, would offer VR/AR capabilities, while a second pair of AR-only glasses (codename N421) was originally set to follow later. Trademarks seen last year suggest that Apple is considering the Reality One and Reality Pro names for each device.
There were issues with prototypes overheating and a subsequent delay reported in February 2023.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the latest delay was because “product testing showed that both hardware and software issues still needed to be ironed out” but this seems rather unlike Apple to have not sorted issues at such a late point – unless the upcoming reveal is just a preview and the headset won’t actually be released until much later. It’s likely this rollback was decided several months ago and there are many possible reasons.
Rumours in April 2023 suggested the unsurprising news that Apple is developing a bunch of apps to generate interest in the device, with sports, gaming, health and collab apps in the offing. This rumour comes courtesy of Bloomberg, which also suggests that iPad apps will be able to be adapted for the headset, with Apple’s own apps like Calendar and Photos being readied for the platform. There will be a Fitness+ app to work alongside instructors, for example as well as an immersive FaceTime interface with virtual meeting rooms. A 3D version of Freeform has also been developed for collaboration with others, too.
Apple Reality headset rumoured design
Render creator Ian Zelbo debuted the following renders at the end of May, gathering together all the patents, rumours and other information – pretty much everything we’ve got in this article, in fact. As you can see the Apple Reality headset is basically a trendy pair of googles, but with a unique Apple twist. Read on for more tidbits on the design development.
A report by The Information in 2021 said it would feature a “sleek, curved visor” with “swappable headbands”, which sound similar to the canopy on the AirPods Max. That knitted, breathable mesh is designed to reduce pressure on the wearer’s head, so would make sense for a device that you’d be likely to wear for long periods. It’d be a small departure from existing headsets like the Oculus Go (below), but still recognisable as a VR device.
Materials will apparently be a mix of aluminium, glass and carbon fibre, in order to keep weight down. The depth-sensing and location-tracking cameras will be hidden, for a more visually pleasing design.
The report also mentioned one prototype that included a physical dial, much like the Digital Crown found on the Apple Watch and AirPods Max. This would make sense from an ergonomic point of view, allowing the wearer to navigate menus without having to fiddle about looking for multiple individual buttons. You can bet it’ll support Siri for totally hands-free use as well, though.
The same source more recently suggested a waist-mounted battery pack, which would connect to the headset via a MagSafe-like cable. Two hours of use is predicted per charge, with hot-swappable packs an option.
Some other rumours in 2022 suggested users would be able to use Face ID tech that would actually work with just the eyes and that users would be able to point at apps and pinch their fingers to launch them, which would be a huge challenge to get right.
Apple Reality rumoured price and release date
We hoped that Apple would decide to focus on a mixed-reality set that would cost around the same as an iPhone. That would be anywhere between $800 and up to $1600 for a Pro version. Call it hope or delusion, but our hopes weren’t answered as the rumoured retail price hovers around the $3000 mark.
Another report from Bloomberg suggests that Apple doesn’t expect it to sell well initially, with unit sales somewhere in the region of a million per year – not surprising if the price point suggested proves to be where it is pitched.
There have been rumours the headset would make an appearance at every Apple WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conference) since around 2019. But the noise is a lot louder for WWDC23 and we now believe it will debut at that event with a full launch later in the year.
A lot of the noise around earlier launch dates haven’t been helped by wrong predictions. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in 2022 that an Apple VR headset could be announced in January, but backtracked at the start of 2023 when he changed his prediction to the second half of 2023.
The Financial Times also reported in March 2023 that the headset was set to be revealed this summer. If a summer release is met, it would be because of reported “huge pressure” to ship the product out, says the FT. This decision would also be at odds with the Apple design team, according to the report.
Can Apple Reality be the most revolutionary product since the iPhone launched? For us, this claim might be easier to believe if it wasn’t rumoured to cost as much. Surely that’s no way to turn AR and VR into a mainstream success story like the iPhone?
Main image from Ian Zelbo
