Apple’s mixed reality headset hasn’t been officially confirmed yet – but it may as well have been with all the rumors, leaks, and acquisitions surrounding virtual reality and augmented reality tech.
-Expected to launch in 2023
-Predicted to cost around $3,000 / $2,200 / AU$ 4,400
-A slim, lightweight design
-Uses an M1 chip
-Support for AR and VR experiences
-Wearable hand trackers
-Short battery life
Unlike the company’s long-rumored Apple Glasses, the Apple MR headset will not only create completely digital experiences but will include AR components that enhance our real-world spaces.
Codenamed N301, Apple’s MR headset is expected to be more expensive and less widespread than the Glasses – but will arrive sooner in an attempt to recuperate early development costs while Apple’s team continues its work on the company’s AR glasses.
More recent reports from December 2021 suggest that even though the MR headset hasn’t been officially announced yet, Apple is making bold plans for the future.
Regular Apple analyst and insider Ming-Chi Kuo shared new details about the company’s mixed reality ambitions saying that this first-generation device will set the bar for premium virtual reality and augmented reality hardware to come. Additionally, a sequel headset is expected to arrive fairly soon after the first drops – likely following Apple’s two-year life cycle for products.
But it’s still early days, for now here’s everything we know about the Apple MR headset, as well as all the features we hope to see when it launches.
Apple MR headset: what you need to know
Apple MR headset release date: Apple hasn’t yet confirmed that it’s working on a mixed reality headset so we also don’t have a confirmed release date. That said rumors indicate the project could launch in 2023.
Apple MR headset price: Pricing is also yet to be confirmed, but rumors have suggested we’ll see something around the $3,000 / $2,200 / AU$ 4,400 mark.
Apple MR headset Features: Apple’s headset is expected to use mixed reality – so it will have VR and AR capabilities. We’ve also heard it will be powered by the impressive M1 chip.
Apple MR headset Design: The Apple MR headset could look much less bulky than its rivals according to those familiar with the project. The display unit is believed to be fairly slim and would house every component, while a single strap goes around the head to keep it secure
Apple MR headset Battery life: Leaks have suggested the MR headset can only be used in short bursts, leading us to believe its battery life will be quite short.
Apple MR headset Controllers: Patents filed by Apple have led to rumors that the Apple MR headset will use either hand tracking or wearable ring controllers.
Apple MR headset news and leaks
February 9 – Reference to ‘realityOS’ spotted in official Apple App Store update logs by developers; later removed suggesting it was an accident.
February 1 – The Safari iOS 15.4 beta added improved support for WebXR features but they seem to be designed for an external device rather than an iPhone or iPad.
January 13 – Reports of further development issues suggest that the Apple MR headset will be delayed until 2023 rather than launching in 2022.
January 11 – Analysts predict that the Apple headset will likely have the same M1 chip and similar computing power as the MacBook Pro.
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January 11 – Multiple sources have indicated that the Apple MR headset can only be used for short bursts at a time, we predict this could be due to battery constraints.
December 8 – Apple reportedly has high VR/AR ambitions and wants to release a second headset (likely the Apple Glasses) not long after its first.
December 8 – Apple’s headset may actually weigh between 300 and 400 grams according to the latest reports from analysts.
April 7 – A separate Apple patent filing suggests its headset could allow hand tracking and be controlled by in-air gestures.
April 7 – Apple devices could soon be given invisible markers to help them interact better with users wearing Apple AR / VR headsets.
March 24 – Apple is apparently looking to make its MR headset as light as possible; reportedly it will weigh just 150 grams, much less than the 503 grams Meta Quest 2.
March 20 – To avoid the 8K screens eating up battery life, Apple apparently plans to use sophisticated eye-tracking to only activate portions of the display at a time.
March 16 – Based on a patent filing Apple’s headset could use a pair of sophisticated thimble rings as a wearable handset.
February 5 – The Apple MR headset could use more than a dozen cameras and house dual 8K displays to deliver a premium performance to users.
February 4 – An Apple headset is planned to launch in 2022 with LiDar distance tracking to help provide enhanced AR and VR features.
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Apple MR headset release date
Early in 2021 Bloomberg sources suggested that Apple’s first MR headset would release in the first quarter of 2022.
However, since then multiple sources have claimed that Apple has faced near-continuous development issues suggesting that its device is likely going to launch
While an update from Ming-Chi Kuo (an analyst with a great track record for Apple leaks) suggested the device would still have a 2022 release, it now sounds like the headset has been pushed back to 2023 while Apple finalizes the design details.
Apple MR headset price
Mark Gurman (a writer with a good track record for Apple information) has claimed that Apple’s MR headset will be pricey – all thanks to its premium-level specs.
While a price hasn’t yet been confirmed, a report by The Information has the Apple MR headset priced at an eye-watering $3,000 / $2,200 / AU$ 4,400.
This estimate has been somewhat corroborated by Bloomberg, whose sources have said Apple expects the MR headset to sell roughly one unit per store per day. These figures match up with the approximate sales of the Mac Pro Desktop which costs $5,999 (about £4,730, AU$8.720) suggesting the headset will carry a similar price tag.
We might be in luck though, more recent reports from Ming-Chi Kuo have said that Apple supposedly now wants to ship 3 million units – considerably more than previously suggested.
While the company may still decide to opt for a price in the region of around $3,000 it may struggle to achieve these targets with such a high price – especially up against much lower-priced competition.
As such we could see Apple’s MR headset be much less expansive at launch than first expected.
Apple MR headset features and design
Apple has yet to confirm the existence of its MR headset, but numerous design details and features have been leaked already; giving us a pretty good idea of what it will look and perform like.
As with all leaks we have to remember to take this information with a pinch of salt, but that advice is especially true here. That’s because Apple is supposedly working on two headsets, this one and a pair of Apple Glasses. This has led to some confusion in the past as to what device each rumor and leak is referring to.
That said, here are the details we believe we know about the MR headset.
First off it’s probably going to be a powerful device, with Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via AppleInsider) predicting that the Apple headset will likely have the same M1 chip and similar computing power as the MacBook Pro. He believes this because the Apple MR headset reportedly requires the same 96W charger as the premium laptop.
On top of that, we can expect it to use dual 8K displays. At 7680 x 4320 resolution, that’s four times as many pixels as a 4K screen and significantly more pixels than any other commercially available device. Multiple leaks have confirmed this detail so we’re feeling confident that these high-quality displays will appear in the final design.
To help these components conserve battery, Apple apparently has a plan to use sophisticated eye-tracking. Eye-tracking software in the headset is designed to follow where the user is looking and only activate that portion of the screen at the full 8K resolution. Other areas of the screen will allegedly become more blurred, to save on processing power, using a trick called foveated rendering.
This could help the device’s rumored short battery life. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman cites multiple sources in saying that the Apple headset is designed to be used only in short bursts. Supposedly this is a mandated limitation to rebel against ideas like the Metaverse which would require you to use the headset for long periods of time.
We suspect Apple would achieve this by intentionally installing a small battery that requires frequent recharging rather than imposing any kind of time-out function.
A small battery would also help the headset maintain its lightweight design – with rumors indicating Apple wants to make the headset as light as 150 grams; this would be over two-thirds lighter than the Oculus Quest 2. Other rumors suggest it could actually end up in the (more realistic) 300 – 400 gram range.
Apple MR headset: What we want to see
Wireless headset
Previous rumors about the VR headset had suggested that it would be wireless, though these came just three years ago. The Information’s alleged design in the image above does maintain this look, but with many more months ahead before release, the design of the headset is still subject to change.
While wireless headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 might lose something in performance to the PC-powered alternatives such as the Valve Index, the freedom of movement and improved immersion of a wireless device are a massive benefit if they can be included.
If Apple’s headset is indeed sporting two 8K screens, it may need quite a lot of power pumped into its shell, so our wireless dreams may not become reality.
As light as a feather
Apple’s VR headset will have some weight to it, but we’re hoping it isn’t too much of a strain on a user’s neck. Given how powerful the thing sounds, such as having those high-resolution screens, there’s reason to worry about the weight we’ll be carrying around on our heads.
Those rumors of a lightweight device listed above are promising, but we’re still hoping Apple’s design team is able to devise a way to keep the VR headset as light as possible, or at least distribute the weight to make wearing it comfortable.
Haptic controllers
Haptic feedback has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, and we hope Apple’s team takes note of the success of the Valve Index and the PS5’s DualSense controller in this department. While it is then on software designers to implement haptic feedback effectively, having the hardware there will allow them the option to create more lifelike experiences.
While we’ve already detailed potentially-conflicting reports of both haptic fingertips and completely-virtual finger tracking on the headset, we’re hoping that, whichever system Apple decides to pursue, this doesn’t come at the expense of immersion.
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