‘Mixed Reality headset almost ready’
The glasses are said to be at a stage where demos can already be given to the higher echelons, Bloomberg reports. An announcement may already be made in the near future. Apple has also stepped up development of the software to get it ready on time. The software is called RealityOS, abbreviated rOS.
Apple has been working on such glasses for years now. It is rumored to be a hybrid headset with a curved visor and soft material with mesh that fits the face. It would have an Apple Watch-esque band to keep it in place. Apple wants to make the headset lighter and more comfortable than competing models already on the market.
It contains two 4K micro-OLED screens, 15 camera modules, powerful processors comparable to the M-series chips and recognition of eye movements and hand movements. There is also support for Spatial Audio for a spatial effect. The price at launch will be around $3,000, which indicates that this first model is not intended for a wide audience. This was not expected either.
The mixed reality glasses are the first major product category since the Apple Watch in 2015, seven years ago. Apple has been working on these glasses since 2019. In the meantime, according to The Information, there were several delays due to problems with the camera and software, overheating and the like. As a result, the introduction had to be postponed several times. We may get to see the headset at the end of the year. A release for the consumer market will be no earlier than 2023. A second generation will arrive in 2024.
Whether we will see the AR/VR glasses at Apple's WWDC 2022 is still very much the question. It's probably just a few minor details.