Latest Apple VR/AR headset leaks and updates

Apple is riding the virtual reality wave and bringing it closer than ever. Despite keeping mum about its VR/AR headsets, sources and experts have given a few insights on the product. This includes possible features and rumored release dates. 

An Apple VR headset has been in the works since 2015. And for the most part, there have been no significant developments. But that served only to brighten up the hype. Apple is highly secretive about its new products. So far, executives have kept their VR product strategies hidden. 

Apple rarely launches new products, but it’s a crowd-pleaser when it does. And while a headset has been in the works for nearly a decade, industry experts believe an Apple VR release date is coming soon.  

Here are the latest updates on the elusive Apple VR headset. 

Possible specs, features

To give a quick rundown, the product will be a mixed reality headset that can cater to virtual and augmented reality features. As for the Apple VR specs, it is also rumored to be powered by an M1 chip. It is likely that it will also have the same computing power as Macbook Pro. This will enable players and users to have a high-resolution display. 

Following Apple’s design choices, the headset could be less bulky and have a simpler design than current industry rivals. Like most Apple devices, it is expected to be slim, with a single strap to go around the user’s head. To reduce the headset’s weight, it is rumored to be fashioned with a fabric exterior. The headset may be controlled via hand tracking or wearable rings.

Users can also expect the headset to have 8k displays and ultra high-resolution optics. Because the gear is so new, leaks have pointed out that it may only have short battery life. This is because of Apple’s recent patents and tech acquisitions.

Other headset features include video conferencing, video streaming, gaming app stores, a virtual keyboard, voice command, and its own gaming app store. 

But this headset is separate from the other rumored Apple product, Apple Glasses.

Jeff Pu, an Apple analyst, believes that the glasses will likely be launched in late 2024. It might be released instead as a second-generation version that is more affordable. 

Unlike the Apple VR headset, the Apple Glasses is rumored to have features that can allow users to change backgrounds. A patent also points to the glasses having automatic corrective lenses. 

The Apple VR 2022 headset has been in the pipeline since 2015. But, according to a report by The Information, it has been on the backburner because of internal disputes. There are no official mockups of the Apple headset or the Apple Glasses. A release date has also not been formally confirmed. 

Competitors and industry impact

But the new Apple headset may not be an easy sell. The gadget will compete with high-end headsets like Meta’s incoming Cambria and Meta Quest 2. Both are top-of-the-line sets that have broken into the niche and expensive market. 

And with other mixed reality headsets in the making, like Varjo’s XR-3 headset, there’s tough competition to be the best-selling reality headset. The new headset has no official price or photos yet, but the Apple VR price is expected to cost around $3,000. The figure might be high, but it’s also at par with current systems like Microsoft’s Hololens 2 at $3,500. 

Industry watchdogs believe that the Apple VR may be released at the end of 2022 or early 2023. But since Apple has yet to announce official info, tech enthusiasts may have to wait for further updates.