In a few weeks from now, Apple is expected to reveal what is internally called the company’s “riskiest” ever: a mixed-reality headset that could help Cupertino lay the ground for replacing the smartphone as the default portable computer for millions of users. While Apple has not talked about the product publicly, it’s expected to be revealed in the keynote which will kick off this year’s World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) on June 5. We explain why Apple’s first shot at cracking the Extended Reality (XR) market is critical for both the industry and the company itself. Apple Reality Pro reveal: Look for WWDC on June 5 By far, all the reports that have surfaced recently hint that Apple is expected to show off its mixed-reality headset at WWDC, with a possible release date later in the year. At its annual developer conference Apple introduces updates to its mobile operating systems for the iPhone and iPad and occasionally shows off new hardware. The conference includes a number of sessions where developers get specifics on how to take advantage of Apple’s technology to create apps and services for its products. What is this headset? Apple’s first headset will be a mixed-reality headset. Mixed reality or MR specifically, involves the blending of real and virtual worlds. Put simply, the MR experience viewed in the head-mounted display combines aspects of both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). The idea is to connect real environments to completely virtual ones. Meta’s Quest Pro, a $1000 headset, is also based on mixed-reality technology. Mixed reality headsets capture the physical environment using multiple cameras built into the headset. This see-through technology when combined with algorithms then reconstructs a stereoscopic view of the world and displays it on opaque screens. Not sleek eyeglasses that can be worn all day Apple’s high-priced headset — which has been seven years in the making — is reportedly different from how the company initially envisioned the device to be. Rather than sleek eyeglasses designed to be worn all day, similar to prescription specs and Google Glasses which have now been discontinued, the headset Apple plans to showcase next month will resemble ski goggles. So it is unlikely to be different from other headsets currently on the market but expect the headset to have the DNA of Apple's design and aesthetics. It will be a standalone headset but… Apple’s upcoming mixed-reality headset will be a standalone device, meaning it doesn’t need to be connected to a separate box to power them. It will be a fully-functional wearable computer strapped onto your face, with Apple’s M2 chipset powering the headset. Meta’s Quest Pro and HTC’s VR XR Elite are also standalone headsets. However, as reported by Bloomberg recently, the headset’s external battery pack is designed to sit in the user’s pocket during use. That means the headset has to be attached to a MagSafe-style external battery pack to be fully operational. A fully charged pack is said to offer about just two hours of use. Not a fully-contained headset people might have expected from Apple. The mixed-reality headset will be loaded with cameras The Apple headset is said to use external cameras to pass through video of the real world to the wearer much like Meta’s Quest Pro. In fact, the headset will apparently use 14 cameras, according to a report from The Information. The extra cameras will be used to track the user’s face so that Apple’s virtual avatars will accurately represent faces and mouth movements in virtual reality experiences. It’s going to have multiple use cases Apple will reportedly offer users multiple ways to use the mixed-reality headset. The device will offer a host of features and applications, from games to immersive fitness programmes to the ability to use iPad apps like Books, FaceTime, and Maps in virtual reality. It will cost you $3,000 Apple is expected to release its mixed-reality headset for $3,000. That would be triple the price of the premium-end Quest Pro headset from Meta. The headset’s rumoured price seems to be in line with what many insiders and trade pundits have been speculating for years. The reason for the price of the headset could be due to high manufacturing costs and years of investment in R&D. A recent report claims that Apple will be selling the headset at cost. Looking at the returns in the short run, Apple has reportedly revised sales estimates down from 3 million a year to 900,000 a year.
