Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to begin on June 5 and will last for five days. There has been speculation and rumors surrounding whether Apple will announce their AR/VR capable headset at the event.
The headset, believed to be called Apple Reality Pro, had initially raised doubts about whether it would generate the same level of excitement as the iPhone announcement in 2007.
However, there are clear indications that Apple will indeed make the announcement during this year’s keynote address at 10 am PT on June 5.
Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for TF International Securities, has predicted that Apple will reveal their new headset at the event. Kuo has a track record of accurate predictions about Apple’s business decisions.
In a surprising move, Apple has invited XR media outlets to the event, suggesting that they want the announcement to be covered by journalists specializing in mixed reality.
There has been increased media hype surrounding Apple’s headset in recent weeks. Bloomberg ran a report discussing the executives involved in the project, the technology, software, and marketing strategy. The article suggests that Apple is now focusing on the device having a strong emphasis on gaming.
Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus and Anduril Industries, has also been building expectations for the Apple headset. In a Twitter Spaces interview, he mentioned that he has seen an early version of the headset and believes it will be a significant development.
While it is unclear what capabilities the Apple headset will have, it is rumored to feature advanced hardware powered by two 5nm chips, immersive visuals with 4K resolution and a wide field of view, customization options for prescription glasses wearers, enhanced tracking capabilities with eye and body tracking, immersive audio with seamless connectivity to AirPod Pros, innovative input methods including voice recognition and hand-tracking, extended playtime with a waist-mounted battery, app compatibility with existing apps running in 2D mode, and premium construction using aluminum, carbon fiber, and glass materials.
Although these features are based on rumors and reports, the anticipation for Apple’s next-generation headset is high, with expectations of an immersive and groundbreaking experience.