Apple is rumored to be developing a new headset with a number of innovative features. It is critical for Apple to ensure that these features are implemented in a smooth and user-friendly manner, as a poorly-designed product could harm the company’s reputation for producing high-quality products.
The success of the headset could potentially be revolutionary, similar to the impact the original iPhone had on the smartphone market.
According to the article published by The Information, a product with the features listed below is waiting for us:
- The headset is reportedly equipped with a waist-mounted battery, which is connected to the headband via a magnetic power cable. The battery is said to have a limited lifespan of two hours, but users can swap it out for a fresh one to extend the duration of their sessions.
- The headset is said to have a design that incorporates aluminum, glass, and carbon fiber to reduce its size and weight. The cameras on the device are reportedly largely concealed for aesthetic reasons.
- The headset is reported to have a small dial on its right side, similar to the Digital Crown on an Apple Watch, which allows users to quickly transition between the virtual and physical worlds. However, unlike the Apple Watch, the headset is not expected to offer haptic feedback.
- Apple is rumored to have developed different headbands for the headset, including one for consumers made of a material similar to the sports bands used on the Apple Watch, and another one targeted at developers.
- The headset is said to have the ability to accept magnetically attachable custom prescription lenses for users who wear glasses.
- The headset is rumored to be equipped with small motors that automatically adjust its internal lenses to match the wearer’s interpupillary distance, providing the largest possible field of view for each individual user.
- The headset is expected to have a field of view of 120 degrees, similar to the Valve Index, which is wider than the 106-degree field of view offered by the Meta Quest Pro.
- The headset is rumored to be powered by the H2 chip, which is expected to provide ultra-low latency connection with the second-generation AirPods Pro and future AirPods models.
- The headset is said to have two chips, including a main SoC and a dedicated image signal processor, both of which are fabricated using a 5nm process. These chips are expected to communicate using a custom streaming codec that Apple developed to address unacceptable latency issues.
- The dedicated image signal processor is rumored to be capable of translating the distorted images captured by the external cameras into a faithful video representation of the wearer’s surroundings with low latency. The chip is said to contain custom high-bandwidth memory produced by SK Hynix.
- The headset is reportedly able to run existing iOS apps in 2D.
According to some sources, third-party Bluetooth headphones do not appear to work well with the headset and suffer from excessive lag, and the device lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack.
There have been rumors that early prototypes of a whispered Apple headset used large external batteries, similar to those used in power tools, that were worn on the user’s waist and connected to the headset’s headband via a cable. Later, it was rumored that Apple, like the Meta Quest Pro, integrated the battery directly into the headband.
However, it was rumored in 2022 that Apple would return to the design of an external battery pack worn on the user’s waist and connected to the headband via a cable, a design reportedly advocated by the company’s former design chief, Sir Jony Ive. It’s worth repeating that these are just rumors and have not been confirmed by Apple.
It is worth noting that there have been rumors that Apple may price the headset at around $3,000 or more depending on its configuration, according to sources cited by The Information. However, it is important to remember that these are just rumors and nothing has been confirmed by Apple. It is always best to wait for official announcements from the company before making any purchasing decisions.
