Kuo: Apple AR Headset to Feature Advanced Hand Gesture Controls and Object Detection

Apple's long rumored AR headset is predicted to include multiple highly sensitive 3D sensing modules in order to offer an innovative hand gesture and object detecting user interface, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a new research note obtained by MacRumors.

apple view concept right corner

Antonio De Rosa concept render

We predict that the structured light of the AR/MR headset can detect not only the position change of the user or other people’s hand and object in front of the user's eyes but also the dynamic detail change of the hand (just like the iPhone's Face ID/structured light/Animoji can detect user's dynamic expression change). Capturing the details of hand movement can provide a more intuitive and vivid human-machine UI (for example, detecting the user's hand from a clenched fist to open and the balloon [image] in hand flying away).

Kuo describes the ability for the headset to detect both hand gestures and movements to provide the user with an immersive experience where the user could open their hand to let go of a virtual balloon.

In order to accomplish this impressive feat, Apple is expected to incorporate four sets of 3D sensors which are of higher quality and specifications than the current iPhones. Kuo sees the quality of this human-machine user interface as the key to the success of Apple's upcoming AR headset. According to Kuo, these interface abilities include gesture control, object detection, as well as eye tracking, iris recognition, voice control, skin detection, expression detection, and spatial detection.

Earlier this year, Patently Apple pointed out a patent application from Apple titled "Devices, Methods, and Graphical User Interfaces for Interacting with Three-Dimensional Environments," which details this same concept.

Different movements and locations of the micro-gestures and various movement parameters are used to determine the operations that are performed in the three-dimensional environment. Using the cameras to capture the micro-gestures to interact with the three-dimensional environment allow the user to freely move about the physical environment without be encumbered by physical input equipment, which allows the user to explore the three-dimensional environment more naturally and efficiently.

Apple is widely expected to launch its first-generation AR-focused device in 2022.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

arn Avatar
52 months ago

Sounds like iron man stuff.
I was thinking Minority Report, but maybe that just shows my age. :)

Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
52 months ago

I was thinking Minority Report, but maybe that just shows my age. :)


Pretty much sums it up. At least the concept is the same.

[MEDIA=giphy]SLBr5yLzocSYw[/MEDIA]

[MEDIA=giphy]hHxTQkcjmHUTC[/MEDIA]
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boss.king Avatar
52 months ago
Did someone say advanced object recognition?



Attachment Image
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
52 months ago
Sounds like iron man stuff. True inspiration comes from this.



After having Apple AR glasses on...



Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topdrawer Avatar
52 months ago
omg, i love making hand gestures.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MayaUser Avatar
52 months ago

omg, i love making hand gestures.
making hand gestures in your car or on the street...the other people will love this
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)