First Apple Mixed Reality Headset Rumored to Focus on Gaming, Media, and Communication
Apple's rumored augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headset will focus on gaming, media consumption, and communication, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Gurman, who often reveals accurate insights into Apple's plans, outlined the broad use-cases that users can expect from the company's mixed reality headset in his weekly
"Power On" newsletter.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently explained that Apple is preparing to position its headset to be capable of replacing the iPhone in 10 years, but Gurman today clarified that the first-generation version of the device will not be a Mac, iPhone or iPad replacement from the start.
Instead, Gurman believes that the headset will focus on three "killer" features: gaming, media consumption, and communication.
Gaming should be a strong focus of the machine, especially given that it will have multiple processors, a fan, extremely high resolution displays and its own App Store. Look for Apple to position the device as a dream for game developers. Next, media consumption. I expect Apple to work with media partners to create content that can be watched in VR on the device. Third, communications. Look for Animojis and a VR FaceTime-like experience to be the new-age Zoom.
A large number of details about the headset's hardware and specifications have now been reported, with the device rumored to feature a lightweight design, two main processors, two 4K micro LED displays, 15 optical modules, eye-tracking, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, and more. Apple has filed a number of patents related to the device's potential software and while it is expected to feature a see-through AR mode, the anticipated software features Gurman outlined today are among the limited number of rumors around the device's functionality.
With Apple's mixed reality headset now "approaching liftoff," according to Morgan Stanley analysts, Kuo believes that the device will begin mass production in the second quarter of 2022 and launch in the fourth quarter of 2022. For more information about the Apple's AR and VR plans, see our detailed roundup that outlines everything rumors and leaks say we can expect.
Related Stories
Apple's mixed reality headset that's set to launch in 2022 will be equipped with three displays, according to a research report shared today by display analyst Ross Young. The display configuration will include two micro OLED displays along with one AMOLED panel, with Sony set to supply the micro OLED displays that Apple will use. The micro OLED displays will be the main displays for the...
Memojis and SharePlay could be central to the FaceTime experience on Apple's long-rumored mixed-reality headset, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Gurman, who often reveals accurate insights into Apple's plans, has previously said that Apple's mixed-reality headset will focus on gaming, media consumption, and communication. The headset itself is rumored to run "rOS" or "realityOS,"...
Apple plans to release its first mixed reality headset with Wi-Fi 6E support in 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a note sent out to investors.
Concept render by Antonio De Rosa based on recent reports Apple is rumored to be working on at least two AR projects that include an augmented reality headset set to be released in late 2022, followed by a sleeker pair of augmented...
Apple's widely-rumored AR/VR headset is coming at the end of 2022, with shipments to ramp up in the first quarter of 2023, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said Apple's headset will feature two "3P pancake lenses," which have a folded design that allows light to reflect back and forth between the display and...
Apple hasn't come out with a new product category since the 2018 launch of the HomePod, and there hasn't been a new wearable since the 2015 debut of the Apple Watch. That's set to change in the not too distant future, as Apple's AR/VR headset is nearing completion and will likely see a launch in 2023.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Rumors about the first head worn ...
Tuesday December 21, 2021 7:05 am PST by
Sami FathiAs 2022 is shaping up to finally be the year Apple announces its long-awaited and rumored AR/VR headset, a new set of artistic renders have offered us our best look yet at what Apple's first headset will look like, based on credible reports citing sources from within the company.
The renders, created by concept maker Ian Zelbo, are based on details provided in a report from The Information...
Apple may not begin production on its upcoming AR/VR headset until the end of the fourth quarter of 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a note sent out to investors. That would likely result in the device launching late in 2022 or in early 2023.
Before launching the headset, Apple wants to have "complete software, ecosystem, and services," which Kuo cites as the reason why Apple ...
Apple's long-rumored AR/VR headset could be delayed until 2023 after being beset with issues during the development process, according to Bloomberg.
Concept render based on purported leaked information by Ian Zelbo Citing people familiar with Apple's plans, the report claims that Apple originally planned to launch the headset in 2021 and ship it this year. The company then set its sights on...
Popular Stories
With the fifth beta of iOS 16, Apple has updated the battery icon on iPhones with Face ID to display the specific battery percentage rather than just a visual representation of battery level. The new battery indicator is available on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, with the exception of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12/13 mini. It is also available on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, XS and XS Max, and...
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models are rumored to be available in a refreshed range of color options, including an all-new purple color. Most expectations about the iPhone 14 lineup's color options come from an unverified post on Chinese social media site Weibo earlier this year.
Overall, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro's selection of color options could look fairly similar to those of the ...
Apple this week brought back one of the most highly requested features from iOS users since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017: the ability to see your battery percentage directly in the status bar.
Ever since the launch of the iPhone X with the notch, Apple has not allowed users to show their battery percentage directly in the status bar, forcing them to swipe down into Control Center to...
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of iOS 16 to developers for testing purposes, introducing some small but notable changes to the iOS operating system.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up everything new in the fifth beta below.
Battery Percentage in Status Bar
The battery icon in the status bar now displays the exact battery percent, a feature that ...
The camera bump on the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro Max is expected to be the largest rear lens housing Apple has ever installed on its flagship smartphones, and a new photo offers a rare glimpse at just how prominent it is compared to Apple's predecessor device.
iPhone 14 Pro Max dummy (left) vs iPhone 13 Pro Max All iPhone 14 models are expected to see upgrades to the Ultra Wide camera on the...
Apple has "started to record" its virtual September event, where it's expected to announce the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 8, and a new "rugged" Apple Watch model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says the event, which is expected to take place in the early part of September, is already under production, implying...
While the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 are expected to be announced in September as usual, there are several more Apple products rumored to launch later this year, including new iPad and Mac models and more.
Beyond the iPhone and Apple Watch, we've put together a list of five Apple products that are most likely to be unveiled by the end of 2022.
Second-Generation AirPods Pro
Apple...
Concept render of Apple's rumored AR headset by Antonio De Rosa
Top Rated Comments
After experiencing a few AR demos through my iPhone SE 2, as well as playing games on a PS4/PS VR setup, I can't wait to see what the future is going to be. I see a lot more potential for AR glasses than phones, tablets and watches. AR glasses are the only thing that do not require to be held with your hand(s) and have a huge display area that also doesn't require you to lose focus of what's around you. It's the merging of the digital world on top of the real physical world.
This rumoured headset, while expensive, is only the first step, like the first iPhone. Compare that first iPhone to what we have today. The future is coming a lot faster than most people think.
What else would they focus on?
Also honest question here.
I’m a completely blind Apple user.
Every device of there’s, from the iPhone and iPad to the Mac to the Watch to the Apple TV and even the HomePod are extremely accessible, the leaders in their field.
If these glasses are truly the iPhone killer, how is Apple going to sell these things to someone like me?
How do you make Apple Glass a fully accessible product like an iPhone or a Mac
Techies told people in the 1990's that everyone would be using the Internet in the future.
Prosumers told people in the 2000's that everyone would have a cellphone in the future.
Most people have been using technology since the 2010's and here we are at the end of 2021, where there's no such thing as average consumers not using cutting-edge technologies anymore.
If the technology cycle is roughly the same then it means basically everyone will be wearing AR glasses by 2031~2041 and people without a pair will be seen the same way as someone without a smartphone in 2021.
What else would you use it for?