Apple has given us another sneak peek of what to expect from the Apple VR/AR headset with several recent job listings and appointments hinting at exciting times ahead.
Everything we know so far about the Apple headset suggests that the device will likely be named the “Reality Pro” or “Reality One” and points to a 2023 release date. However, details about what the headset could be used for have been tricky to find. Thanks to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, we may now have a clearer picture of what to expect.
Tracking the Cupertino giant’s appointments and job listings for its Technology Development Group (TDG) Gurman claims that Apple is looking to compete with Meta’s own Metaverse plans with 3D versions of its Apps.
Indeed, a vacancy for a “Software Engineer, 3D Applications (AR/VR)” on Apple’s own website (opens in new tab) lists that applicants should have “a keen understanding of the state of the art in interactive 3D applications and an ambition to discover what the future holds in this space.”
Gurman also believes that the arrival/movement of specific individuals at Apple hints at features of the Metaverse rival (though Apple dislikes the use of that term). The appointment of Dave Scott to the TDG, once previously of Apple’s self-driving car unit, and who was more recently CEO of health company Hyperfine, suggests that health will be a significant element of the virtual environment.
Productivity expert Yaniv Gur (who helped create the Notes, Books and News apps) has moved internally to the TDG which points to this also being a focus of the virtual space.
As previously reported by Bloomberg, Apple’s new headset could be dubbed Reality Pro or Reality One and cost anywhere between $2,000 and $3,000. The device is expected to pack a ‘Mac-level’ M2 chip and feature more than 10 cameras along with high-resolution displays. And the whole thing will apparently be powered by Apple’s new realityOS.
It is interesting to see Apple doubling down on its own interest in VR spaces, particularly with Meta’s own tribulations with the Metaverse not even proving that popular with its own employees. How Apple differentiates its own offering will be worth keeping an eye on.
