Apple's Mixed Reality Headset Is Expected To Use Physical Control To Select View

Illustration of mixed reality headsets. (photo: dock.pixabay)

JAKARTA - Apple's long-rumored mixed reality headset could allow users to switch between seeing the real world and virtual reality with a physical call. This was revealed in a new report about the headset from The Information.

Apple's future headsets are expected to offer color passthrough which could give you a better view of what's around you while wearing the device, and it looks like this arrangement, which appears to be on the right side, could be one way Apple is letting you see what's around you.

The Apple Watch and AirPods Max already have a physical crown – in Apple's terms, a “digital crown” – though the one on the headset doesn't appear to have haptic feedback.

Headsets may also have special technology to make them work properly with Apple AirPods wireless headphones. According to a report by The Information, the headset will include the same H2 chip that came with the second-generation AirPods Pro, and when both devices are connected, the chip engages in "ultra-low latency mode".

If you don't have AirPods Pro, The Information says Apple has made a headband with a built-in speaker. Other Bluetooth headphones seem to have a lag between what you see and what you hear when you wear the headset.

The Information says there will be no headphone jack for wired headphones. So if you want to listen privately while using a headset, a compatible AirPods model will be a must.

In "early last year", Apple's headset has been connected to an external battery pack that you will wear on your waist. By doing so, Apple will make the headset lighter and let users replace new batteries as needed.

The power cable appears to attach magnetically to the headset, which seems to be a useful application of Apple's MagSafe technology. If the user accidentally swipes the cable with their arm, then the user prefers the cable to be safely removed rather than pulling the head down. However, Apple seems to have also tested an in-headband battery, perhaps like the Meta Quest Pro.

Also like the Quest Pro, the Apple headset can focus more on work than other scenarios, such as gaming. "Apple sees video conferencing as a potential killer app for headsets," The Information said in its report.

Apple is also currently not expected to launch a game controller for the device. However, while AR apps should be built using RealityKit, "there are plans" to let developers use Unity to build VR apps.

Apple did not immediately return to The Verge's request for comment about the report. The device is expected to appear this year, and the company's board reportedly tried it out in May.

The trademark filing suggests Apple could use "Reality" branding for this soon-to-be-emerging headset, which could be prohibitively expensive. Apple has discussed a cost for the headset of around $3.000 or more depending on the configuration.