Apple's AR/VR headset will scan your iris when you put it on - Ars Technica

Mixed world —

Apple's headset volition besides scan users' legs for inclusion successful virtual space.

Samuel Axon - Oct 14, 2022 8:50 p.m. UTC

Enlarge / The study discusses however Apple's upcoming headset volition beryllium antithetic from the Meta Quest Pro pictured here.

A new study successful The Information revealed immoderate caller tidbits astir Apple's upcoming augmented and virtual world headset.

Among different things, the study details features that differentiate Apple's headset from Meta's just-announced Quest Pro, which is apt to beryllium the biggest rival to Apple's device.

Matching anterior reports, The Information's nonfiction says that the headset volition look similar a brace of skis goggles. It volition beryllium made of "mesh fabrics, aluminum, and glass" and it volition beryllium thinner and measurement little than the Quest Pro. The Information's sources didn't specify a weight, but the Quest Pro weighs 722 grams.

The caller headset volition scan a user's irises truthful they tin beryllium recognized and log into their idiosyncratic accounts the instant they enactment connected the headset. This diagnostic would enactment for aggregate users, making it straightforward to walk the headset from 1 idiosyncratic to another, for example. Additionally, the iris-scanning tech volition beryllium utilized to authenticate payments. Meta's headset won't diagnostic Iris scanning.

So successful different words, it volition beryllium the headset's equivalent of Face ID oregon Touch ID, the biometric authentication methods antecedently seen successful the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

The headset volition besides connection accommodations for users who deterioration glasses. They'll beryllium capable to "magnetically clip connected medicine lenses wrong the headset."

That volition not beryllium the lone mode Apple's headset scans its wearer. It has antecedently been reported that the instrumentality volition person 14 cameras. Two, today's study claims, volition scan the wearer's legs truthful the positions of said legs tin beryllium accurately portrayed by a virtual avatar.

By contrast, Meta's precocious announced Quest Pro headset has 4 less cameras astatine 10, and it lacks the limb cameras. It's communal successful 3D telepresence apps to spot floating torsos and faces with nary legs, but it seems Apple mightiness beryllium looking to get distant from that standard.

Apple and Meta are poised for a conflict implicit the mixed-reality space. Meta has been successful the VR concern for 7 years, but Apple has a stronger inheritance successful AR acknowledgment to the sensors and developer enactment connected its iPhones and iPads. And portion Meta has a important headstart connected the bundle broadside for immersive VR, it isn't astir arsenic experienced arsenic Apple successful processing hardware products.

Meta's Quest Pro was archetypal revealed connected October 11, and it volition beryllium disposable for acquisition for $1,499.99 starting October 25. Apple's headset has faced respective delays, but it is present slated to merchandise sometime successful 2023 astatine a higher price.