How well received will the Apple VR/AR headset actually be? There has been some skepticism, in part because of the high rumored price, and word that Apple overruled the recommendations of its design team to push ahead with launch. But claims from an alleged headset tester paint a more positive picture.
Long time leaker Evan Blass posted some details on his private Twitter account. He claims to know someone who has had “several opportunities” to test the Apple headset. Apparently this person has really changed their tune in the past few months, in a good way. Apparently the headset was “underwhelming”, but the tester is now “blown away” by what it can do.
They clarify that their feelings are now “blown away” in a “take my money kind of way”. Which bodes well for the long-delayed headset, even if the price ends up being as eye-wateringly high as rumors have claimed.
Blass has an excellent track record when it comes to leaks, including those related to Apple. But as much as we’re inclined to believe his claims, it’s important to be skeptical of any pre-release leaks and reports. There's no telling how accurate they are, and how things might change by the time the final product is released.
They clarify that their feelings are now “blown away” in a “take my money kind of way”.
However such a rapid change over the past few months could explain why the headset has been delayed so often. Apple wasn’t going to release an underwhelming product, no matter how much people wanted to see it. Thankfully it sounds like the headset may be about ready for prime time.
The Apple VR/AR headset is expected to be called the Reality Pro or Reality One, and it is rumored to cost somewhere around $3,000. Which is a lot of money to ask, even for a first generation product. Then again this is reportedly designed to be more developer-focussed, in anticipation of Apple Glasses, with a cheaper more consumer-centric headset coming in the next couple of years.
The Apple headset is also reported to come with 4K displays, a lightweight design that connects to your iPhone, and various sensors for tracking objects and your own movement. That’s on top of virtual and pass-through augmented reality experiences.
The Apple VR/AR headset is expected to launch at WWDC 2023, which kicks off in the first week of June. If it does make an appearance it’ll join the likes of iOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10 and the rest of Apple’s upcoming software changes.
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