Apple is working (very) hard to polish and complete the first version of its AR/VR headset for its announcement expected at WWDC in June. A new report from Bloomberg gives some details about the features and limitations of the new Apple Reality Pro, including whether or not they will need an iPhone to settle.
In the latest issue of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the latest test builds of the Reality Pro “will not require an iPhone for setup or use”. This is a notable change from previous Apple devices, such as the Apple Watch, which originally required setting up an iPhone. Instead, the Reality Pro glasses will configure themselves completely independently of the iPhone and will be able to download user data directly from iCloud. However, similar to the setup process for other Apple devices, the user will have the option to transfer their data directly from an iPhone or iPad so that the process has the simplicity that Apple is used to.
Unlike other AR/VR headsets on the market, the Reality Pro will not have a remote control, but will be controlled with the user’s eyes and hands thanks to the multiple internal and external cameras they will be equipped with. Bloomberg says that “airwriting” will be a key feature, but she is “meticulous in testing”. Gurman comments the following
I’m told that a key feature for text input is available in the latest internal prototypes: airwriting. But the tests are not easy. So, if you get the first version of the device, you might need to pair an iPhone to use its touch keyboard. Apple hopes to quickly improve the device once it goes on sale. The company hopes its headphones will follow the same path as the original Apple Watch in this regard.
Looking further, Gurman also comments that Apple is working on a second-generation Reality Pro headset with a particular focus on performance:
I’m told that the focus of the second version of the device is performance. While the first model will have an M2 chip, plus a secondary chip for AR and VR processing, it’s not powerful enough to produce graphics at the level Apple wants.
Initially, Apple’s first headphones were supposed to be even more powerful, with a separate hub with additional processing power that can be transmitted wirelessly to the device. But Apple’s former chief designer, Jony Ive, he dropped that idea. Now the company is working to add a more powerful processor (perhaps a variant of the M3 or M4) to the second model, which would help close that gap.
