Apple Devices Preview App for Windows Includes References to 'Reality OS' and 'xrOS'
A short time ago, preview versions of Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices apps for Windows were discovered in the Microsoft Store, and it turns out one of those apps is hiding references to Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset operating system.
The
Apple Devices app is intended to allow users to manage various Apple devices on Windows machines, functionality that was traditionally handled in iTunes but which has migrated to Finder on macOS. Windows users continue to use iTunes to manage Apple devices if needed, but with Apple working on standalone apps like Apple Music for Windows, it appears iTunes for Windows is nearing the end of its life and a replacement for device management functions is needed.
Upon investigating the new Apple Devices Preview app for Windows, Twitter user @aaronp613 discovered references to both "Reality OS" and "xrOS," two names that have appeared in repeated rumors as being in reference to Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset.
Bloomberg's
Mark Gurman had reported for quite some time that Apple was planning to call its headset platform "realityOS" or "rOS," but last month he revealed that Apple has updated its plans and
will call the platform "xrOS". The name refers to "extended reality" to encompass both virtual reality and augmented reality experiences.
Over the weekend, Gurman reported that while Apple had been aiming to introduce the headset this month, the company is now planning for an introduction around its traditional spring media event time. A more complete introduction for developers will then come at WWDC in June ahead of the actual product launch later in the year.
With that introduction time frame rapidly approaching, it's no surprise that Apple is preparing its other apps and platforms to integrate with the headset and xrOS, but the references in the new Apple Devices Preview app for Windows are likely an accidental slip-up by Apple.
Popular Stories
iPadOS 26 allows iPads to function much more like Macs, with a new app windowing system, a swipe-down menu bar at the top of the screen, and more. However, Apple has stopped short of allowing iPads to run macOS, and it has now explained why.
In an interview this week with Swiss tech journalist Rafael Zeier, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that iPadOS 26's new Mac-like ...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
Alongside WWDC this week, Logitech announced notable new accessories for the iPad and Apple Vision Pro.
The Logitech Muse is a spatially-tracked stylus developed for use with the Apple Vision Pro. Introduced during the WWDC 2025 keynote address, Muse is intended to support the next generation of spatial computing workflows enabled by visionOS 26. The device incorporates six degrees of...
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
With iOS 26, Apple has introduced some major changes to the iPhone experience, headlined by the new Liquid Glass redesign that's available across all compatible devices. However, several of the update's features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, since they rely on Apple Intelligence.
The following features are powered by on-device large language models and machine...
Apple this week announced that iPhone users will soon be able to watch videos right on the CarPlay screen in supported vehicles.
iPhone users will be able to wirelessly stream videos to the CarPlay screen using AirPlay, according to Apple. For safety reasons, video playback will only be available when the vehicle is parked, to prevent distracted driving. The connected iPhone will be able to...
iOS 26 features a whole new design material that Apple calls Liquid Glass, with a focus on transparency that lets the content on your display shine through the controls. If you're not a fan of the look, or are having trouble with readability, there is a step that you can take to make things more opaque without entirely losing out on the new look.
Apple has multiple Accessibility options that ...
Apple today added Mac Studio models with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips to its online certified refurbished store in the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and many European countries, for the first time since they were released in March.
As usual for refurbished Macs, prices are discounted by approximately 15% compared to the equivalent new models on Apple's online store. Note that Apple's ...
Apple today provided developers with a revised version of the first iOS 26 beta for testing purposes. The update is only available for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, so if you're running iOS 26 on an iPhone 14 or earlier, you won't see the revised beta.
Registered developers can download the new beta software through the Settings app on each device.
The revised beta addresses an...
Concept render by 
