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It’s no secret that Apple is investing in mixed reality. After introducing LiDAR sensors in iPhones and iPads, it looks like the company is set to release a standalone device in the coming months, Bloomberg reports.
The publication’s Mark Gurman noted that the Cupertino-based tech giant is planning to release a mixed reality headset in a few months through an in-person event. He added that Apple would like to show its first major device since 2015 to the media and developers, and let them experience it.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of the company’s mixed reality headset. Famous Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last month said the company plans to launch the device by mid-2022, followed by an AR headset in 2025.
Of course, Apple could cut and modify some of these features before finalizing the design. The company aims to launch the MR headset as a stand-alone device, instead of connecting it to a Mac for power and processing.
This would make it a more attractive offer for people to move around the house and use it.
The publication also noted that the company aims to include spatial audio and up to a dozen cameras and LiDAR sensors for hand tracking and AR functionality. The company is considering various methods of control. This includes a dial on the helmet, thimble-shaped finger ties, as well as hand and eye tracking.
Apple’s first headset won’t be cheap. The Information said it will cost around $ 3,000, which doesn’t seem outrageous when you compare it with Microsoft’s Hololens 2 price tag of $ 3,500.
The actual launch of the headset could be at least a few months away. However, Apple would likely announce extensions and new APIs for ARKit at WWDC, so we can gauge the direction of Apple’s AR ambitions.
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Published April 1, 2021 – 09:02 UTC
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