Apple is expected to release its own so-called mixed reality headset soon. Recently, a number of interesting rumors about the headset have passed and we have listed them here for you in a handy overview. 
Rumors Apple mixed reality headset
For years there have been rumors about a headset from Apple. But lately these rumors have become more and more persistent and come from more reliable sources. That can only mean one thing: the headset is really coming! In fact, Apple would like to announce the headset sometime in the coming months. So it's time to take a look at what's been said in the rumor mill about Apple's mixed reality headset and what we already know. This way you are updated in one go about all the rumors surrounding Apple's mixed reality headset.
- Name
- Mixed reality
- Design
- Software
- Operation
- Features
- Without iPhone
- Price< /li>
- Release and Announcement
#1 Name: ‘Reality Pro will be renamed’
First of all: what will Apple's mixed reality headset be called? According to sources at Bloomberg, Apple eventually chooses the name Reality Pro. The Pro designation should make it clear that this is not just a mainstream product that most users will queue up for. Apple would like to announce and release the more expensive version first and a name like Reality Pro fits better with that. In addition to Reality Pro, the name Reality One has also been registered.
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#2 Mixed reality: ‘Switching between augmented and virtual reality’
But what exactly is mixed reality? You may have heard of augmented reality and virtual reality. Augmented reality is the real reality to which digital components have been added. Cameras are often used to capture the environment and add digital elements to it. So you can still see the environment around you. Virtual reality is a completely virtual world. Think of a game in which you (usually with a closed headset) are sucked into a completely created world. Mixed reality is therefore a combination of these two worlds. According to sources, Apple chooses this because it allows you to combine the advantages of both methods in one product. You could switch between virtual and augmented reality with a Digital Crown-like button, says a source.
#3 Design: ‘Aluminium, glass and soft cushions’
In terms of design, the headset would consist of some familiar elements that we have already seen in other Apple devices. For example, there has been speculation about a fastening mechanism that is somewhat similar to an Apple Watch strap. Furthermore, Apple would have opted for aluminum, glass (possibly for the built-in displays) and soft cushions. The latter ensures that the headset can still sit somewhat comfortably on your head. Apple would also have thought of glasses wearers: prescription lenses would become available so that they can also use the headset.
Incidentally, it remains to be seen whether the headset will be as elegant as we know from other Apple devices. The required battery would have to be connected externally to the headset via a cable and therefore not be built into the entire system. Apple would have made that choice because of the heat of the battery, but we have yet to see whether this is true. A headset that always has a cable running along your face is not really Apple's.
#4 Software: ‘xrOS becomes the name of the operating system’
Like all other Apple devices, the headset would run on its own operating system. There has already been speculation about various names and references have also appeared in the code to both variants: realityOS and xrOS. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the headset runs on xrOS and realityOS is just a name Apple used internally years ago. Exactly what xrOS will look like is not yet clear. But the fact that software updates are coming should come as no surprise. In any case, we expect some similar design elements with the other operating systems, such as iOS and macOS.
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#5 Controls: ‘Eye & Hand Tracking’
So you wear Apple's mixed reality headset on your head, but unlike other headsets you don't have anything else in your hands. You would operate it thanks to eye and hand tracking. By looking at the interface you can select parts and with a pinch-to-zoom movement with your hand you confirm your selection. That all sounds pretty futuristic, but thanks to all the sensors and cameras, this should all be possible, according to the source. So you don't hold separate controllers with buttons in your hand, although the headset itself may have some extra physical buttons such as the aforementioned Digital Crown.
#6 Functions: ‘Widgets, games, watching movies and series, FaceTiming and more’
In terms of functions, the headset seems to focus mainly on games, productivity and communication. According to a recent rumor, these are some features that are possible:
- Virtual meetings via FaceTime
- Play games
- Set widgets in your field of view and popular apps such as Safari, Mail, Messages and Calendar
- Watch movies and series, where it looks like you're looking at a giant screen
- External Mac screen, where the screen of your Mac is shown on the headset
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#7 ‘Works without iPhone’
Important to note is that the headset appears to be a standalone device. Unlike the Apple Watch, you probably don't need an iPhone for Apple's headset. It could be used completely separately from the iPhone, although we do wonder about the internet connection if you are not near a known WiFi network. You may still be able to use the mobile data of an iPhone thanks to the hotspot function. It is not yet known whether it will also be able to connect to mobile networks itself.
#8 Price: ‘Will cost thousands of dollars’
The fact that the headset does not seem to be intended for the mainstream audience is evident from the price. Apple would have a price of around $3,000 in mind, sources say. That's significantly more expensive than virtual reality headsets from other companies, such as Meta and Sony. But with Apple's headset, much more would be possible. The first version of the headset would therefore mainly appeal to professionals and less for the masses. The price is roughly equivalent to a 16-inch MacBook Pro.
#9 When is he coming? ‘Announced at WWDC, release in the fall’
The release of Apple's mixed reality headset is still some time away. Apple originally planned to announce the headset in preview this spring, possibly at an event in March or April. However, that will not happen again, but fortunately we do not have to wait too long for the announcement. Apple would now have set its sights on an announcement during WWDC 2023 in June. As far as we're concerned, that's logical timing. The WWDC is mainly about developers and by introducing them during that event to the possibilities and tools needed to develop apps for the headset, there is enough content available as soon as the headset actually comes out. The release would not take place until much later this year, probably sometime in the fall.
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