Apple will probably present the long-awaited Apple Reality in June and a lot is already known about the glasses. These ten functions are (possibly) coming to the Apple Reality, Apple’s first VR glasses.
Apple launches first VR glasses
The most important announcement at this year’s WWDC is the presentation of the Apple Reality. We’ve been waiting for Apple’s first VR glasses for years and this year it’s finally being unveiled. According to rumors, Tim Cook is insisting that the glasses will be presented in June, despite the development team’s request that the launch of the glasses be postponed.
The VR goggles won’t be one for the general public; the glasses will have a retail price of approximately $ 3,000. This means that the glasses are mainly intended for companies to use for streaming video content and for communication, such as video calling. Meanwhile, Apple is already working on cheaper VR glasses, the Apple Reality One.
The launch of the Apple Reality Pro is therefore expected to be the hardware announcement of WWDC 2023. What do we know about the glasses so far?
1. 4K micro OLED screens
The glasses will have 4K micro-LED screens for both eyes. This means that you have an incredibly sharp image with the glasses on, making it feel like you’re in the movie, series or game you’re playing at that moment. And the big advantage of micro-LED: the image quality does not deteriorate. The glasses will therefore have two screens, which have up to 3000 pixels per inch.
The design of the glasses is made to block light from the outside, so that you are not bothered by sunlight, for example, when you wear the glasses. The image quality is only optimized in the places where you look directly at the image. The places that you do not immediately see (for example the side) have a less good quality. In this way, the battery consumption of the glasses is saved.
2. Apple Reality has a lot of cameras
The Apple Reality is reportedly getting an awful lot of cameras. With the series of cameras, the glasses can be used with VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality). Two cameras on the front of the goggles point downwards to accurately track leg movements.
Also read: Alleged photos of Apple Reality leaked – this is what the VR glasses look like
The cameras also make it possible to view the environment on the two screens, so that the glasses also have a transparency mode. In addition, the cameras help to measure and analyze the environment. By adding so many cameras to the Apple Reality, it is possible to closely follow every movement, for a realistic VR experience.
3. The VR glasses get an iris scanner
Where your iPhone is still secured with Face ID or Touch ID, Apple is introducing a new security method with the VR glasses. The Apple Reality has a new function: an iris scanner. The glasses will then be unlocked as soon as the Apple Reality recognizes your iris.
In addition, the glasses can track your eye movements with an iris scanner. In this way it is possible to operate the glasses by looking at something, blinking or closing your eyes at certain times. With this system, the smart glasses also know what you are not looking at. This means that the glasses only have to show the area that you do look at. This saves a lot of processor power and battery.
4. Facial expressions are recognized
One of the main functions of the Apple Reality is to move the user to the virtual world. It will therefore probably be possible to create a digital avatar, a virtual version of yourself. With this avatar you play VR games and the presence of your friends’ avatars makes it feel like you are really together.
To make this avatar as realistic as possible, the Apple Reality has technology that recognizes facial expressions. These facial expressions are then translated into your digital avatar. TrueDepth is used for this, which is the same technique that now controls the Animoji on the iPad and iPhone.
5. Apple Reality works with hand gestures
The VR glasses can be controlled in different ways. As mentioned earlier, you can perform certain quick tasks by, for example, blinking your eyes. In addition, the Apple Reality recognizes hand gestures that you make. Making certain movements with your hands becomes the main way to control the glasses.
Of course, the Apple Reality also works with Siri, Apple’s own voice assistant. Earlier it became clear that you probably need to have AirPods in order to use the VR glasses. Apple wants to protect the privacy of users with this. After all, when you wear earphones, your surroundings cannot listen in on the Apple Reality.
6. Typing without a keyboard
According to the generally well-informed Apple analyst Mark Gurman, you can type with the Apple Reality without the need for a keyboard. In the so-called Air Typeing the glasses’ cameras scan which letters touch your fingers when typing digitally. You can see the keyboard on the screens of the glasses, but you are basically typing in the air.
Also read: ‘Apple Reality headset lets you create your own apps (with Siri)’
Gurman does mention that the new function is not yet working optimally, but will be available at the launch of Apple Reality. So you don’t always have to use Siri if you want to type with the glasses, but you can also just write the message yourself.
7. Design: incredibly light and thin
The design of the Apple Reality was (and is) one of the biggest challenges in the production process for Apple. Current VR glasses are often still heavy and no longer feel comfortable after wearing them for a while. It is therefore up to Apple to develop glasses that are comfortable to use. The Apple Reality is therefore probably made of aluminum, making the glasses incredibly light.
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the glasses weigh between 200 and 300 grams. For comparison: Meta’s Quest Pro has a weight of no less than 722 grams. Apple’s VR glasses would therefore be much lighter. It remains to be seen whether Apple will actually succeed in keeping the weight of the glasses so low.
8. Apple reality has an external battery
To keep the weight of the VR glasses so low, Apple has chosen not to process the battery in the glasses themselves. The Apple Reality gets an external battery that you can wear around your hip. As a result, you have little trouble with the weight of the (probably heavy) battery and the glasses are easier to wear. In addition to the battery input, the glasses have a USB-C port to transfer data, for example.
The battery of the Apple Reality reportedly lasts two hours, after which the glasses must be charged again. The advantage of the external battery is that you can connect a second battery to the glasses. This means that the VR glasses can be used normally when one of the batteries is charging. With the Apple Reality you are therefore not dependent on just one battery.
9. The VR glasses work on xrOS
The Apple Reality is a completely new product from Apple, which of course also requires a new operating system. The glasses are expected to work on xrOS, not the aforementioned RealityOS. According to Gurman, the xr in xrOS stands for ‘extended reality’. The new operating system provides a completely new experience with existing apps such as FaceTime and Apple TV.
For example, FaceTime makes it possible to really sit together in the room, or to have conversations with extremely detailed Animoji. The Animoji, Apple’s own emoji, are controlled with the precise facial expressions of the user. For example, it is a lot easier to read the emotions on someone’s face in a digital conversation, something that sometimes goes wrong.
Also read: ‘Apple Reality is fully committed to smooth transition AR and VR’
In addition, Apple is developing 3D versions of standard services such as Safari, Calendar, Contacts, Messages, Photos and Apple Music. The company is also working on a 3D version of the Fitness Plus app for Apple Reality, so that it feels like you’re really working out in the gym. Not all apps are updated for the glasses, in which case the ‘normal’ version of the iPad, for example, is also available.
10. Apple Reality works on M2 chip
To make all these apps work smoothly, Apple has equipped the VR glasses with two M2 chips. We have seen this processor before in the MacBook Air 2022. It is not yet clear whether the glasses run on the regular M2 chip, or whether Apple has opted for the more powerful M2 Pro (or M2 Max) chip of the MacBook Pro 2023 .
The fact that the VR glasses get not one but two M2 chips is good news. This indicates that the Apple Reality probably does not need an iPhone or Mac to function. The glasses are then powerful enough to use independently, you do not need an additional device.
WWDC has now been officially announced
So the Apple Reality has a lot of cool features and will almost certainly be presented at the WWDC days in June. At this annual event, Apple showcases the latest hardware and also releases new software updates for nearly all products. Apple has now officially announced WWDC 2023: the annual Apple event will start again on June 5.
Also read: Apple Reality One: Apple is already working on cheaper VR glasses
This year the event will again last five days. Developers and students are then welcome (if invited) at the Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Are you curious which products besides Apple Reality will be announced during the WWDC event? Check out our expectations for WWDC 2023 here.
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