Apple VR headset: price, release date, and specs - Inverse

Rumors person been sparse connected Apple’s mixed world headset, but we whitethorn beryllium hitting a turning point. With the caller announcement Meta’s Quest Pro, it’s astir clip for immoderate quality connected its competition.

Here’s everything we cognize truthful acold astir Apple’s mixed-reality headset:

WHAT WILL APPLE’S VR/AR HEADSET LOOK LIKE?

The Information published a photograph based connected a “late-stage prototype” of Apple’s headset that uses mesh worldly and swappable headbands successful 2021. Later, conceptual creator Ian Zelbo produced renders based connected the report’s sketch.

Since these photos are based connected a late-stage prototype, we tin expect thing akin to this skis goggle look. Outside the bluish headband, it does enactment reasonably existent to Apple’s minimalistic and elemental design.

WHAT FEATURES WILL APPLE’S VR/AR HEADSET HAVE?

According to the latest study from The Information, Apple’s mixed-reality headset volition diagnostic iris scanning arsenic a mode to log into accounts oregon authenticate payments. The iris scanning relation would enactment likewise to Apple’s Face oregon Touch ID. This diagnostic uses interior cameras to way users’ eyes, which is thing that Meta’s devices won’t have.

The study erstwhile again noted that Apple’s headset volition diagnostic 14 cameras, which we initially heard astir earlier this year. Two of the 14 cameras volition beryllium utilized to seizure the user’s legs and construe the movements into an avatar, which is different diagnostic that Meta seems to beryllium struggling with.

Apple’s headset is besides rumored to person an exterior show that volition fto different radical spot your facial expressions portion you’re utilizing the headset, according to different study from The Information. Apparently, this extracurricular show volition beryllium capable to run astatine a debased refresh complaint to conserve power, akin to the always-on displays of the Apple Watch oregon iPhones.

WHAT ARE THE SPECS FOR APPLE’S VR/AR HEADSET?

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s mixed-reality headset would beryllium powered by Apple’s M2 chip. It’s not arsenic high-end arsenic the M1 Ultra, oregon adjacent the M1 Max oregon M1 Pro, but it means the headset volition beryllium arsenic almighty arsenic the latest MacBook Air and Pro. Gurman added that the headset volition person 16GB of RAM.

As for the headset’s display, a erstwhile study from The Information said we tin expect 2 8K displays. However, a aboriginal study from Display Supply Chain Consultants says that Apple’s headset whitethorn usage 4K displays made by Sony instead.

These archetypal rumored specs constituent to a alternatively high-end headset, which does bushed retired Meta’s Quest Pro successful definite categories. These spec rumors consciousness alternatively escaped since there’s immoderate conflicting information, but there’s inactive immoderate grounds that Apple’s instrumentality would beryllium much almighty than Meta’s.

HOW MUCH WILL APPLE’S AR/VR HEADSET COST?

There’s a batch much uncertainty regarding imaginable pricing for Apple’s headset. The Information predicted that it would outgo astir $3,000, portion Gurman went for a much open-ended conjecture of much than $2,000. Industry leaker Ming-Chi Kuo’s prediction fell determination successful the middle, expecting the Apple headset to outgo betwixt $2,000 and $2,500.

Even with a $2,000 to $3,000 range, that terms tag is much costly than Quest Pro’s $1,500 MSRP. We already felt similar the Quest Pro was an costly investment, but it’s wide Apple is targeting its mixed world headset for professionals, developers, oregon the superior diehard Apple fans.

WHEN WILL APPLE’S VR/AR HEADSET BE AVAILABLE?

There hasn’t been immoderate authoritative connection from Apple astir its mixed world headset, truthful we tin lone spell disconnected of predictions. Kuo is expecting an announcement successful January 2023, followed by a shipping day successful the 2nd 4th of that year. Gurman’s prediction for a 2023 merchandise comes with the caveat that “some Apple insiders” are expecting the institution to merchantability 1 headset per day, per retail store.

If that constricted merchandise is true, that decidedly feels similar a weird prime fixed the wide contention from Meta. However, it does consciousness alternatively connected marque for Apple to effort and make immoderate exclusivity and artificial request for its mixed world headset.