If any brand can revolutionize virtual reality headsets, it’s obviously Apple. The company is due to unveil its creation later this year and is betting heavily on the applications available.
Will Apple’s strategy be the right one again? As with many of their products, the American brand isn’t on the cutting edge, instead coming up with the right product at the right time. This was the case with the iPod, the iPhone or the clock connected to it, the Apple Watch. The company is not the first, it is not always the most innovative, but it has such attention to detail and ease of use that its creations often allow it to capture large market shares. Will this also be the case with its mixed reality headset?
Apple has never really talked about it, but the patents it has pending and the information provided by some well-informed analysts leave little room for mystery. The brand is set to launch a mixed reality headset later this year, which we’ll know under the name “Reality Pro” for the time being. It may even be unveiled in early June during WWDC, Apple’s annual developer trade show in San Francisco. its price? The rumor speaks of 3,000 euros…
A unique ability to combine hardware and software
Apple’s strength is its ecosystem and its unparalleled ability to combine devices – hardware – with applications – software. With the gradual convergence of iOS, the iPhone’s operating system, and MacOS, the computer operating system, Apple has been able to create an automation in its customers who, even when they discover a new device, can pick it up and find the same one so quickly operating philosophy. After iOS, MacOS, iPadOS, WatchOS… we should therefore see rOS (for Reality OS or xrOS for Extended Reality). A new version of the environment, this time designed specifically for the helmet.
According to Bloomberg, Apple would have decided to start from the functions and applications of the iPad (third-party applications will also be compatible) to create the 3D environment displayed in the helmet. Home applications can thus be used in Reality Pro.
Using the same principles as the iPhone desktop with its application icons would make it much easier to get started. There are also applications to stand out from the competition. According to Bloomberg, Apple would have decided to start from the functions and applications of the iPad (third-party applications will also be compatible) to create the 3D environment displayed in the helmet. FaceTime, Messages, Maps, Photos, Camera, Safari, Calendar, Music, Weather… can thus be used in Reality Pro. Also, it will be possible to read novels and essays in virtual reality. Two 8K screens should ensure optimal image quality for the helmet wearer.
Fitness, sports and games as a loss leader
Still, according to Bloomberg, Apple’s Fitness+ service, which is available on a subscription basis for €9.99/month, would be one of the key arguments for setting the headset apart from the competition. In addition to sports, games would also be in the foreground. It must be said that smartphone owners around the world download no less than 1 billion gaming applications every week. And the revenue generated accounts for 60% of the industry’s total revenue, claims Data.ai, the digital data platform.
In 2020, Apple acquired NextVR, a startup that produced and broadcast virtual reality basketball games through a partnership with the NBA. In addition, the Tim Cook-led company owns the rights to Major League Soccer (football) and Major League Baseball. So the success of Apple’s virtual reality headset could be based on sports.
Apple designed its system with mixed reality, that is, it would be possible to develop in a fully virtual universe, or superimpose virtual elements on top of the real environment, but with an integration that makes images as realistic as possible. To achieve this feat, the helmet could contain no less than 12 optical tracking sensors as well as LiDar sensors. These are lasers that can measure distances.
Already integrated in the iPhone and iPad Pro, the LiDar can, for example, very easily determine the height of a person to the centimeter. Perfect for integrating Augmented Reality (AR) objects in the best possible way, observing the placement of a trainer and following his instructions as best as possible, but also, why not, analyzing his gestures or the positioning of his legs and arms during a muscle strengthening exercise or a yoga session.
Surprises, no doubt
Apple will not only make a big difference by optimizing already existing applications. On the other hand, we can assume that the Californian company is secretly collaborating with third parties to create new stunning applications or killer apps. This has always been the case with new product launches in the past. Whether it’s 3D games for the iPhone or drawing and photo-editing applications for the iPad, Apple’s collaboration with cutting-edge studios has often made the difference.
This will no doubt be the case for Reality Pro as well. In particular, we are talking about an application that allows the presentation of sports content in an immersive view. In 2020, it was not without reason that Apple acquired NextVR, a startup that produces and broadcasts virtual reality basketball games as part of a partnership with the NBA. In addition, the Tim Cook-led company owns the rights to Major League Soccer (football) and Major League Baseball. The success of Apple’s virtual reality headset could therefore be based on sports that can be practiced or followed via two 8K screens in front of the eyes.