We’ve been keeping a close eye out for any news and rumours surrounding the Apple AR/VR Headset, so here is everything we know so far.
This headset has been on a lot of people’s minds for many years, but Apple is still holding out on any concrete details. We do know that the company has been looking at augmented reality devices, suggesting that the Apple Headset isn’t too far away from being fully announced.
We’ve been checking in on all the news, leaks and rumours surrounding the Apple Headset so we can keep you in the loop. Read on to find out everything we know right now about the Apple AR/VR Headset.
Pricing and Release Date
There has been a lot of speculation about the possible release date of the Apple Headset. Bloomberg’s own Mark Gurman claims that the headset will launch in June during Apple’s WWDC 2023 event. Moreover, The Financial Times (via Tom’s Guide) has claimed that the headset will launch sometime this year, despite some apparent reservations from the Apple team.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via Twitter) thinks that the headset may be delayed due to a lack of excitement around the iPhone, among other reasons. Since none of these claims has been verified by Apple, we can take them with a grain of salt, although it seems very possible that we may see the Apple Headset during 2023.
In the same vein as the release date, there is nothing definitive on the pricing. Most VR headsets are not particularly affordable, with the PSV2 and latest Meta Quest 2 costing £529.99 and £399.99, respectively. According to Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple, (via GQ) the headset’s main goal is to prepare developers for the launch of Apple Glasses.
On the other hand, Mark Gurman (via Bloomberg) claimed that the headset will emphasise gaming, media and communication, suggesting that this will be more of a consumer product than one aimed at developers. A report from The Information (via Tom’s Guide) thinks that the Apple Headset could cost as much as $3,000.
Kuo (via Twitter) went on to say that the final price should be between $2,000 and $2,500, suggesting that this will be one of the more expensive VR headsets once it launches.
Design and display
A report from The Information claims that the device is composed of two 8K monitors in front of the eyes that boast advanced eye-tracking technology, with at least 12 tracking cameras that can feed information into the display. However, the Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) claims that Sony is currently making 4K 4000×4000 displays for the Apple Headset, making it unclear if this headset will boast an 8K or 4K resolution.
It should come with attached hand bands that can be swapped out and attached to the face via mesh-like material. There will be spatial audio akin to that offered by the AirPods Pro, and you may be able to control the device via a “thimble-like device to be worn on a person’s finger.” This is based on a render of the product from Ian Zelbo, which can be seen below, which looks to be the best impression of what the Apple Headset could look like.
Looking further at the design, Apple’s recent patent (via Apple Insider) shows us two rings that suggest the headset will be able to track specific finger and hand movements. These two rings fit on the thumb and index finger of the user which should be able to track what the user is holding, whether that be an object like an Apple Pencil or something within the virtual world.
Specs
Mark Gurman has mentioned that the headset will include external cameras that can test features like hand-tracking and gesture control, which should make outside movements more accurate. This also includes the idea of being able to type in the air using a virtual keyboard, although this has not been confirmed.
Moreover, Gurman claimed that this headset will require a lot of power, with some suggesting that it may come with the new M2 chipset alongside 16GB of RAM. While the M2 is not the most powerful chipset from the company, it should offer enough power and energy efficiency.
According to Kuo (via 9to5mac) the headset will even come with a 96W MacBook charger to power it, although some other reports have suggested that an external battery pack will be necessary, which could offer up to two hours of power (via Tom’s Guide). Additionally, Kuo (via 9to5mac) mentioned that the Apple Headset will feature multiple processors to provide even more power. It’s not clear if this would include the M2 chip, but it will likely be within the Apple Silicon family.
The Trusted Take
The Apple AR/VR Headset seems closer than it’s ever been before and I’m really excited to see what the company can do within a virtual world. I’m interested to see which direction it will go in, as the gaming VR market is already starting to get oversaturated with headsets from the likes of Sony, Meta, Vive and HTC, to name a few.
With such a speculated high price tag, it may be a harder sell for gamers, but it may well go down the route of the Meta Quest Pro and have a larger focus on productivity and office work. Whatever it looks like, I’m sure it will be of very high quality and help further AR/VR technology, we’ll just have to see if it really does warrant a $2000 and above price tag.
