Apple's recent job listings suggest that the company is seriously gearing up for the rumored release of its much-touted mixed-reality headset next year. The listings hint that the headset will feature a 3D video service and a “metaverse-like” extended reality environment.
Apple’s venture into VR and AR territory means the Cupertino-based company may be able to offer an entirely new product category to its loyal customers come 2023. However, since extended reality is a concept attractive not just to Apple’s existing customer base, it’s expected to get the attention of new customers as well.
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, a journalist with a track record of successful predicting Apple trends, suggests that the new high-end product will cost between $2,000 and $3,000. This prediction is based on reports that the headset will run on cutting-edge technology, with impressive hardware and additional software development underway.
The powerful hardware inside the device will likely include a Mac-level M2 chip, more than 10 cameras on its interior and exterior and the highest resolution of all the current competing products on the consumer VR market.
The software infrastructure required to run such a high-end device is also reportedly under construction. The job listings hint at Apple reinforcing their software dev team with people who have experience working with AR and VR environments.
The pivotal role of an AR/VR company in the development and success of such cutting-edge devices may become an essential part of the roadmap.
“The company is searching for a software producer with experience in visual effects and game asset pipelines who can create digital content for augmented- and virtual-reality environments,” Gurman explained.
In addition, it seems Apple’s extended reality headset will feature a 3D mixed-reality world, something akin to the metaverse, only Apple will likely never call it that. Not when its conflicts with Meta are heating up. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the average person’s understanding of the metaverse is limited at best.
Despite its dispute with Meta, Apple’s job listings clearly indicate that they’re looking for individuals who can “build tools and frameworks to enable connected experiences in a 3D mixed-reality world.”
It added that, “You will work closely with Apple’s UI framework, human interface designers and system capabilities teams —pushing you to think outside-the-box, and solve incredibly challenging and interesting problems in the 3D application space.”
The available information also reveals a potential name for the device.
In Apple’s trademark filings, device names “Reality Pro” and “Reality One” were mentioned. The operating system running the whole show is potentially going to be realityOS, which makes sense given existing Apple AR development tools like RealityKit.
While Apple doesn't seem to be a metaverse fan, it’s best to wait and see in which direction Apple will take their newest invention.
