Every few years, Apple introduces a product that has not been confirmed by the company, until the rumors get past a point where they can no longer deny it.
The iPad is rumored to be called the iSlate in 2009, while the Apple Watch would become the next-generation iPod nano in 2013. The Apple headset is the next big product and will bring VR and AR to the living rooms.
Augmented and Virtual Reality have been on the rise in recent years, with companies such as Oculus and valve who are busy tinkering with the experience and new possibilities. Users benefit from affordable models, new apps and unique VR games.
Apple has a chance to redesign the ecosystem. They can use VR and AR in new, interesting ways.
A VR iTrooper
(Image credit: Future)
It is not clear whether this headset will have both AR and VR functions, or whether there will be two variants. But Apple has found a way to adapt its apps to other devices, keeping the functionalities intact and making use of the unique properties of the device in question.
Since many operating systems end in ‘OS’, we suspect that the new system will be called rOS, with an ‘r’ for reality. The name also keeps the roads open for both VR and AR.
In previous years, Apple laid the foundation for what’s to come, such as the iPhone for the iPad, or the 3D Touch of the Apple Watch that then moved to the iPhone. With this in mind, Siri could play an important role in the headset.
Earlier this month it was Apple Music Voice Plan launched, allowing you to control your music with just Siri. The price? 4.99 euros per month.
This plan could be a perfect fit for this new headset, as you don’t have to use tangible controls to navigate your music there. You could browse the App Store or choose other apps using the same technique with Siri. It would be a unique way to use the headset without controllers, like with the Meta Quest 2.
Spatial Audio, another feature in Apple Music where you can turn your head and feel the sound coming from one specific place, could also work well on this headset.
But it’s about gaming, you can’t get around controllers. They are an inspiration for developers.
A VR App Store
Apps in VR go beyond giving short experiences, such as Beat Saber, and are slowly moving towards communication and accessibility as Meta announces it plans for the metaverse and avatars. FaceTime VR or AppleTV+ VR is a tempting thought, but developers must first turn the current apps into a native VR headset app.
Apps such as Carrot and TikTok can also take advantage of the new possibilities of a headset, especially if they make smart use of widgets.
What about AR?
Then there is the concept of AR. With Augmented Reality you can have certain bits of digital information in a normal lens. Imagine a pair of glasses with a section that displays live information, such as a widget or push notifications. You add digital information about the real world.
Some apps already offer something like this, such as Apple’s Measure app. Others, like Ikea, let you pick out furniture and place it virtually in your room.
The headset could in principle have both functions, simply by switching modes. For example, you could see live widgets in a corner of a lens as you walk around your house, so you don’t have to look at your phone or Apple Watch anymore.
WWDC in 2022 will likely show us what developers can do with the headset. Then we discover how energy-efficient the Apple Silicon chips are in practice and how much longer they can last than an Intel and AMD CPU. Hopefully we will see a concept of the app store, especially for AR and VR.
