Apple unveils xrOS with its first headset; Several Senior Executives Involved in Development: Mark Gorman
Apple is expected to unveil its first mixed reality headset, dubbed the Reality Pro or Reality One, at its upcoming annual developer conference. It was also reported that the company will unveil xrOS, the operating system that is expected to run on the new wearable device at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023 which is scheduled to start on June 5. The headset, which is expected to debut as Apple’s most significant hardware launch since the arrival of the Apple Watch in 2015.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman detailed the roles of several senior Apple executives in the development of the upcoming mixed reality headset. They include Mike Rockwell, who is said to be in charge of the headset, Apple COO Jeff Williams, Dan Riccio, Paul Meade, CMO Greg Joswiak, Phil Schiller, Frank Casanova, Kim Forath, Jeff Norris, Shannon Gans, and Jeff Stahl. .
Other notable names include Johnny Srouji, CEO of iPhone manufacturers, and former chief design officer Jony Ive, who actually left the company and stopped working on the headset a year ago. Gurman previously mentioned that Apple executives envision that a mixed reality headset will eventually be worn all day, eventually replacing the iPhone as the company’s most popular product.
Apple’s Reality Pro headset is said to be equipped with the powerful M2 chipset, and sports dual 4K OLED displays that support augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). The headset can be powered by an external battery, and is likely to be worn by the wearer. It is also said to have more than 12 cameras to track the wearer’s body and eye movement, capturing their surroundings in order to support mixed reality experiences.
According to a Reuters report, Apple’s wearable headphone production will be handled by Luxshare, the company’s Chinese partner. Headphone components will be produced by Sony, TSMC, Everwin Precision and Cowell.
Apple’s mixed reality headset is said to be on its way to unveil it at WWDC 2023, but the Cupertino company was anticipating problems with the device’s production. In line with previous leaks, the report claims that the wearable will be priced at $3,000 (roughly Rs. 2.50 lakh), but even users who can afford the device may not receive it until the end of the year, as production is said to be expected to start in December.