Apple is hard at work on virtual reality into the world of VR and mixed reality has been heavily rumored over the past several years. Now, we’ve got even more details about the company’s alleged mixed reality headset that is currently in development. If word is to be believed, Apple’s mixed reality headset may include an 8K display and cost $3,000.
These rumors come from The Information, as the site published a story citing an exclusive source at Apple. The report states that the headset will feature “more than a dozen cameras for tracking hand movements and showing video of the real world to people wearing it, along with ultra-high-resolution 8K displays and advanced technology for eye tracking.”
There are also new details on the actual hardware for the rumored device, which is said to offer both VR and mixed reality applications, thanks to over a dozen cameras and LIDAR sensors. It is also said to feature dual 8K displays with eye-tracking technology that could offer resolution far beyond any current commercial VR headsets on the market today.
Notably, the report claims Apple won’t be running the power-hungry 8K displays at full resolution the entire time. Instead, the device will use the eye-tracking technology to determine where users are looking and then rendering peripheral areas in lower resolution to improve performance. The chips, as previously reported by Bloomberg, are expected to be internally developed Apple Silicon hardware that could potentially be more powerful than Apple’s current M1 chip.
Apple is reportedly experimenting with a variety of control methods, including hand-tracking and eye-tracking, a dial mounted on the side of the headset, and a “thimble-like” accessory, although nothing is said to be finalized just yet.
The headset, described mostly as a VR device with more limited AR functions, is still intended to be a key step toward Apple’s ultimate goal: a lightweight AR device indistinguishable from standard eyeglasses. That device is still said to be years away from release.
