Apple Chooses To Develop A Standalone VR Headset, But It Takes A Long Time To Be Realized

JAKARTA - Apple's mixed reality headset, which began to be rumored some time ago, seems to be the most kept secret in technology today. A recent report on the device from The Information is full of details about this turbulent yet-to-be-announced product development.

One of the most notable parts of this story is about Apple's decision to go with a standalone headset. At one point, Apple had yet to decide whether to move forward with a more powerful VR headset that would be paired with a base station or standalone.

While Apple's AR/VR leader, Mike Rockwell, seems to prefer the version with the base station, which includes the processor that eventually shipped as the M1 Ultra. According to The Information, as quoted by The Verge, Apple executives chose to use standalone products. Bloomberg also reported similar details in 2020.

That choice has apparently had a long-lasting effect on headset development. “By the time the decision was made, multiple device chips had been in development over several years, making it impossible to go back to the drawing board to create, say, a single chip to handle all headset tasks,” The Information said in its report.

"Other challenges, such as incorporating 14 cameras on a headset, have caused headaches for hardware and algorithm engineers," they added.

The report also includes details on Jony Ive's continued consultation on the project's design even after his official departure from Apple. “I “prefer” a wearable battery, perhaps like the one Magic Leap offers. But another prototype has a battery strapped to the headset head, and it's not clear which one will be used in the final design," said The Information analyst.

Apple reportedly showed the headset to its board of directors last week, so it could be close to public disclosure. That said, it may not be announced until later this year, and it may not hit store shelves until 2023, so we can wait a while to try it out for ourselves.

Going forward, Apple is developing a pair of AR glasses that look like Ray-Ban wayfarers, but The Information says it's "years away from release."