Apple’s mixed reality headset is expected to launch in the US in 2023; Could feature Hollywood video content: report

Apple’s next mixed reality headset could launch in 2023 and debut in the US first. While the headset isn’t expected to be announced at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) which starts today, Apple is expected to lay the groundwork for the next wearable device, which would support augmented reality (AR) and the virtual. reality (VR) content. The company has also partnered with Hollywood directors to create video content for the mixed reality headset, according to another report.

While the Cupertino company is expected to announce major updates to its iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS operating systems during its WWDC 2022 keynote today, the arrival of its upcoming reality headset mixed is unlikely to happen, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says in his Power On newsletter. However, after the company previewed the device for its board last month, Apple could give hints about the headset at WWDC 2022 – and the device could hit stores in the US in 2023. , according to Gurman.

According to an older report, two trademarks of RealityOS were previously registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a seemingly non-existent company called Realityo Systems LLC. Trademarks have been filed in categories such as design and development of computer hardware, software, peripherals, computer and video games, and portable computer hardware. According to Gurman, the company first registered as realityOS in Liechtenstein in June 2021 — as the company can use a treaty to file a trademark in the United States with priority registration within six months.

Over the past few months, Apple has reportedly been working on a new set of VR and AR-powered Apple apps and services as well as new input methods. Apple has also been working on a new platform for third-party developers. The company also recently added support for Spatial Audio and VR video support to Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. According to Gurman, Apple is also working on adding support for body tracking, manual input and Siri access to third-party apps as part of the headset’s development platform.

Meanwhile, developers could get a new version of SwiftUI for building AR and VR apps, which should work with RealityKit and Metal. Another environment for developers could simulate the headset and their apps, before they have access to the device itself, according to the report. The headset’s operating system could be called realityOS according to previous reports, and Apple is working on updating its apps with mixed reality features – Maps, Notes and Calendar could get VR versions, while FaceTime could be updated to scan a person’s face and copy movements with Memoji, according to Gurman.

In addition to developing apps and services for its upcoming mixed reality headset, Apple is also working with Hollywood directors to develop headset video content, according to a New York Times report citing people familiar with the matter. The Cupertino company is reportedly working with directors such as Jon Favreau to develop content for the mixed reality headset, for the Prehistoric Planet series on Apple TV+. The report states that Favreau “will work to bring this show’s dinosaurs to life on the headset, which resembles a pair of ski goggles and aims to deliver virtual and augmented reality experiences.”

According to the report, Apple is expected to launch the mixed reality headset in 2023 as the company has faced challenges with battery power. Work on the mixed reality technology also led to the resignation of two members of the industrial design team due to concerns about the product’s effect on how people interact with each other. Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also predicted that the company will launch the headset next year. Apple, on the other hand, has yet to confirm the existence of the mixed reality headset – details of the headset or its underlying platform may be announced at the WWDC event later today.