Apple’s XR Headset Is Coming – What We Know So Far

For months now, all the hype in technology circles has been around artificial intelligence (AI). But an upcoming announcement from Apple could reignite the excitement around virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR).

The closely-related technologies, often collectively known as extended or mixed reality (XR/MR), were the hot topic a couple of years ago. This was largely thanks to Meta’s Oculus Quest devices, which it successfully marketed as a package of affordable hardware and an accessible software ecosystem.

This played a big part in building up the hype and excitement around the metaverse concept as we looked towards a future where we would interact across online, digital spaces, and digitally-augmented real-world environments in more immersive and engaging ways.

Since then, AI has undoubtedly stolen the limelight thanks to the arrival of ChatGPT and the explosion of interest in generative technologies. But even back in the Quest days, Apple made no secret of the fact it was working on its own headset technology. Now, it seems those plans are set to come to fruition, with the first concrete announcements expected to arrive soon.

So, could this put VR and the Metaverse back on the agenda? And how will this generation of VR/AR be affected by the fact that AI now plays a much bigger part in our lives than it did, even just a couple of years back?

Apple’s History with AR/VR

Although it has not so far released any hardware, there are signs that Apple has been interested in the space for a long time. It developed QuickTime VR back in 1995, one of the first standards for using 360-degree images to create immersive experiences. More recently, it has made a number of acquisitions during the last decade that confirm its interest. These include AR startup MetaIO back in 2015 and NextVR in 2020.

In 2017, it released ARKit, a platform for creating AR applications that can run on its iOS devices, such as Macintosh computers, iPhones, and iPads. In particular, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has frequently expressed his interest as the technology has evolved over several generations, from the earliest headsets to those based around smartphones and later initiatives such as Google Glass.

From this history, we can see that although it might not have seen a need to rush a product to market, it has always considered that the field of mixed reality technology will play an important role in the future of technology.

The Apple Headset

Although we’ve known a headset is on the table for some time, the company itself has remained fairly tight-lipped. However, as this is Apple, there is a huge community of fans dedicated to delving into whatever the California-based tech giant is believed to be working on. This has led to a great deal of speculation and rumors about what we can expect.

Fans believe that it’s likely that the headset will be known as the Reality Pro. It’s also expected that it will have a hefty price tag of around $3,000. This would put it into a very different category than the firmly consumer and entertainment-oriented devices launched by Meta. Like the company’s first computers, as well as its more recent Mac Pro and Macbook Pro devices, it’s likely to be aimed at professionals and creatives.

It’s also believed that the launch will bring the debut of a new operating system called xrOS. This will be the software layer that the company will use to build its future VR/AR products around, just as its desktop computers and mobile devices each have their own operating system platforms, MacOS and iOS.

It’s expected that it will feature 8K OLED screens for super-sharp displays and, at the assumed price point, is also likely to include Apple’s powerful M2 processor, as used in its Macbook Pro laptops. The hardware is likely to track hand and eye movements, thanks to a large number of cameras and sensors, allowing users to explore virtual environments in a natural, fluid manner.

It is also important to note that Apple’s new headset and the accompanying xrOS operating system might pave the way for more consumer-focused AR glasses. It is rumored that Apple is working on lightweight glasses that could blur the line between AR and everyday life, making the technology more accessible and inviting to the everyday consumer. Whether it’s for navigation, shopping, or even social interactions, such consumer-focused devices could revolutionize our experience with AR technology, embodying Apple’s unique blend of function, design, and consumer appeal. Similar to how the iPhone transformed mobile technology, “Apple Glasses” could have the potential to redefine the AR industry, pushing it toward mainstream acceptance and usage.

Return to the Metaverse

It may seem that the topic of the metaverse has gone off the boil a little, with everyone paying far more attention to uses of generative AI rather than plans for building the “next level” of the internet.

This is just a natural evolution of the “hype cycle” that drives technology discussion; however – there’s always something new and shiny to capture our attention. It doesn’t mean that companies responsible for spending billions of dollars to bring these ideas into reality simply forget about what they were doing 18 months ago.

The previous wave of excitement around VR and the immersive internet was driven by Meta, as well as, to a lesser extent, the pioneers of the decentralized internet concept referred to as Web3.

It’s certainly possible that Apple’s upcoming announcement and launch could thrust it back into the limelight. A device of the power that’s being suggested would enable far more impressive visuals and a smoother experience. Bearing in mind earlier attempts (including Meta’s) were sometimes unkindly likened to the level of graphical fidelity offered by decades-old video games, this leap in performance could be all that’s needed to finally launch XR into the mainstream.

A key factor in this could be the rumor Apple will enable both VR and AR experiences using the same device. Meta’s Horizons has, so far, planted itself firmly as a VR experience, whereas it has often been suggested that AR will be just as important as VR to the “true” metaverse.

Given Apple’s strong user base and its history of catapulting specialist products into the mainstream by reinventing them as sleek lifestyle accessories, it’s possible that its arrival will generate a new wave of excitement around the metaverse concept – leading to AR and VR playing a bigger part in our lives.

MR and AI – A Perfect Match?

The last time we got excited about VR, no one outside of a group of researchers at OpenAI had heard of ChatGPT or the language models that power it. But thinking of them as distinct, unrelated technologies would be a mistake. It’s almost certain that Apple is factoring in the implications of the emergence of generative AI on its plans for a new generation of XR hardware and software.

For a start, generative AI will make it easier to design and build the 3D worlds we will explore with our headsets, as well as the immersive AR experiences that will mesh with the real world around us.

Being able to simply describe the experiences and applications we want to create in natural language will open the floodgates for businesses wanting to establish their presence and for designers hoping to create immersive environments for us to explore.

There’s also the potential for AR and VR worlds to be populated with AI-powered inhabitants. This could include life-like simulated humans (or any other creatures we can imagine) who we can interact and converse with as if they were real people standing in front of us.

It’s clear that a VR environment (or metaverse) is likely to be far more realistic and engaging than any other 3D environment we’ve experienced so far. AI can be used to generate realistic facial expressions and simulated voices and to allow 3D characters to behave and move in an increasingly life-like manner. These AI constructs will also be capable of speaking in as many languages as they need to, simultaneously – simply being translated in real-time according to the language preference of whoever is communicating with them. The implications for entertainment, education, business, and industry are literally unlimited.

How Will Apple Impact The Future of AR and VR?

Apple doesn’t tend to invent new categories of products – it brings them to the masses in slick, shiny packages with an appeal that goes beyond the early adopters who are the first to buy into new tech. We saw this with their early Macintosh computers, the later range of iMacs, and, more recently, with iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.

If the rumors are true, we can expect to learn the first concrete details about the Reality Pro at Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2023, scheduled to kick off in just a few days’ time on June 5.

Apple’s major new hardware launches rarely disappoint – unlike its biggest competitors, it doesn’t rush to join every trend as it’s happening but often bides its time until it’s sure it has the right project for the right market.

On the other hand, in today’s age, nothing can be taken for granted, and it’s fair to say that the emergence of AI has had enormous consequences that perhaps even Apple hasn’t fully comprehended just yet.

Time will tell whether this could finally bring an end to its run of ground-breaking product launches. But going by its track record, it would certainly be foolish to believe that anything is a foregone conclusion.