Apple's AR Headset Expected To Launch 4th Quarter 2022

AR headsets are now a trend in the world. (photo; doc. pixabay)

JAKARTA - Apple is expected to launch an augmented reality (AR) headset next year, as has long been a rumor

The headset will be released in the fourth quarter of 2022 and will contain two processors, one 'with the same level of computing power as a Mac', said a report quoted by Dailymail.

This processor will be 'similar' to the M1, a computer chip made by Apple, which is currently used in Macintosh computers and iPad Pro tablets.

The device details come from research notes from renowned Apple predictor and product analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as seen by MacRumors.

"We expect Apple's AR headset to be launched in 4Q 22 to be equipped with two processors," Kuo said in the note, as quoted by MacRumors and reported Dailymail.

“High-end processors will have the same compute power as the M1 for Mac, while lower-end processors will be responsible for sensor-related computing.”

Apple previously relied on Intel chips for its Macs, but these have been ditched in favor of the M1, which the tech giant revealed last November.

However, Kuo said the processors in the headsets would have 'similar computing power', pointing out that they are not exactly the same chips.

Meanwhile, the second lower-end processor will manage the 'sensor-related aspects' of the headset. However, the computing power of this sensor will be 'higher' than the iPhone.

Kuo also said the headset will be able to support virtual reality (VR) as well as AR, thanks to a pair of 4K Micro OLED displays from Sony.

AR overlays computer-generated images on top of existing reality – Pokemon Go being a well-known example – while VR is completely virtual.

MailOnline has reached out to Apple for comment on what Kuo's claims are, although he has previously been described by several news outlets as 'the world's most accurate Apple analyst'.

Apple Track, a blog that keeps tabs on Apple's rumors and the sources that publish them, currently gives Kuo an accuracy rating of 75.9 percent.

Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities in Hong Kong, is known for gathering information about Apple's plans from his contacts in the Asian company's supply chain.

However, Kuo predicted in June that the launch would take place in the spring of 2022, so it appears the timeframe has been pushed back – and could be pushed back again.

At the time, Kuo said it would cost a headset that could cost $1,000, although other reports have put the price tag at twice this amount.

In October, Kuo said Apple's upcoming headset will also feature wireless technology and use Wi-Fi 6E, the latest version of Wi-Fi, which allows for faster speeds and a higher number of connections.

It's possible that Apple's headset should still be connected to an iPhone or Mac computer, but future iterations of the device may not.

According to another recent report from Digitimes, citing supply chain sources, the product will cost as much as 2,000 (Rp 28.8 million).

The upcoming headset will likely not be aimed at consumers, but aimed at developers and business customers, according to this report.

The more consumer-focused AR product, known as Apple Glass, will be released as early as 2023 and will look more like a conventional pair of glasses, he added.

A 2019 report from The Information collaborates on suggestions that Apple is working on two AR/VR products.

Apple Glass will feature a digital display on the lens to complement the surroundings, such as arrows to help consumers find their destination in the city.

This makes the Apple Glasses look more like regular glasses than a thicker headset can make them more attractive to the consumer market.

Apple is increasingly turning to augmented reality technology. In 2017, he launched AR Kit, an augmented reality platform for developers to create apps and other software using the technology.