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 Apple to enter metaverse with VR headset infographic
Graphic illustrates rumoured features of the Apple headset.
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TECH

Apple expected to debut virtual reality headset

By Ninian Carter

June 5, 2023 - Apple looks set to reveal a long-awaited virtual reality headset at its Worldwide Developers Conference in California on June 5.

Apple looks set to unveil its highly anticipated virtual reality headset at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in California on June 5.

Rumours suggest the device will be smaller and sleeker than rival devices from the likes of Meta and Sony, thanks in part to offloading the battery to a pack worn around the waist.

It will also be able to display virtual reality (fully immersive worlds) and augmented reality (graphics overlaid over a real world view), possibly using a digital crown interface on the side, similar to the one on the Apple Watch, to switch between the two.

Leaks suggest it features two 1.41 inch screens with a resolution of 4,000 pixels per inch – substantially greater than other high-end offerings on the market today.

Possibly a key factor will also be the screens’ brightness, said to be 5,000 nits – vastly brighter than Sony’s PSVR or the Meta Quest, whose brightness figures are in the low hundreds.

Bright displays are needed in order to create convincing virtual worlds as real life is vastly brighter than any head-mounted display is currently able to show.

The headset is said to feature more than a dozen cameras to track hand gestures, which will be one method of control along with eye tracking.

Away from the hardware itself, software will be a key ingredient for any chance of success, and Apple is said to have designed a new xrOS operating system with virtual versions of familiar software such as FaceTime, Calendar, Mail, Safari, and more.

Gaming will also be an important area for the headset, with rumours abound that the popular space exploration game No Man’s Sky is coming to the device, and famed Japanese video game signer Hideo Kojima – creator of Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding – seen walking around Apple’s campus recently.

The Apple headset, possibly called the “Reality Pro”, will retail for around $3,000 when it comes to market, likely later in the year.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 02/06/2023; STORY: Graphic News
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