There’s a chance we could see Apple’s plans change. We’ve heard recently that Apple is delaying the device into 2023, due to ongoing development issues, but it's possible Apple is just biding its time and looking to release the best version of the product it can.
That said, Apple is a company that likes to do its own thing, for better or worse – so whenever it chooses to announce its MR headset, it might be stuck with a product we can’t see anyone wanting.
Additionally, a full-color video passthrough will also be featured. Similar to the MR headset from Meta “Project Cambria”, the Lynx R-1 released in July 2022, and XR headsets from Varjo. The latest tech-leak reports indicate the N301 MR headset will feature the powerful M2 System-on-Chip (SoC) with 16GB of RAM. Combining this chip with the Apple reality operating system and an MR HMD will likely provide a highly optimized, smooth-running, and powerful experience.
To put this into context, other standalone headsets have struggled to deliver impressive specifications due to their limitations on processing. The Apple Silicon M2 chip means that the standalone Apple headset will be far superior in battery usage and processing efficiency.
Connectivity
Apple’s mixed reality headset will feature WiFi 6, enabling a fully standalone experience while the headset off-loads some of its processing to a Mac, iPad, or iPhone wirelessly and with minimal latency. Apple’s MR headset will not only be for gamers but media consumption and communication as well.
Display of Apple MR Headset
The Apple mixed reality headset will have a 3-display configuration. Two micro OLED 4K displays for each eye, totaling 8K, manufactured by Sony and a third AMOLED display engine for the wearer’s peripheral vision. It is expected that the Apple headset will use Pancake optics technology, enabling a slimmer and lighter profile.
The Apple VR device will also be equipped with dynamic foveated rendering, vastly improving the visual quality and crispness of the mixed reality experience
Apple rOS
The Apple headset is expected to run on a fully purpose built Apple operating system called Apple rOS, which will allow the maximum potential of the device to be found, as is often the case with Apple. The company is well known for building its operating system in tandem with its devices.
The use of Apple rOS closed ecosystem will likely also lead to a seamless integration with users other Apple devices making it more enticing for existing Apple users.
It is speculated, from recent Apple patent filings, that the MR headset will come with a “thimble-like” add-on. This finger attachment will be placed on one of the wearer’s fingers, assisting with hand tracking in intricate actions such as scrolling pages and pricing up delicate 3D objects. For comparison, most other VR headsets use a modified variant of Google’s Android operating system, soon to be its own augmented reality OS.
Regarding the price of the Apple headset it looks to be in the range of $2,000 and $3,000 according to leading Apple insiders and analysts. The price aligns with Apple’s premium price structure and will also take into account increasing inflation creating higher production costs.
Slim, stylish, and lightweight
Apple is known for its high standards of industrial and minimalist design. This is why the novel design aesthetic of a fabric exterior is rumored to be on the N301. A design that stands out and decreases the weight of the headset itself. Furthermore, reports indicate that the weight would land between 300 and 400 grams. Current estimates of the design from supposed back-door viewings show this headset design from The Information.
