Apple headset

Apple’s long-awaited Vision Pro headset features all of Apple’s apps in a floating, immersive 3D space that’s designed to let wearers interact seamlessly with the real world, rather than walling them off in a virtual one.

“Vision Pro will introduce us to spatial computing,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook during the recorded WWDC23 keynote Monday as he unveiled the pricey device. “This marks the beginning of a journey that will bring a powerful new dimension to personal technology.”

The company described it as “the first Apple product you look through, not at.” Vision Pro starts at $3,499 and will be available early next year.

With Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference just a week hours away, anticipation is building for what looks like one of the company’s most momentous events in years. In addition to the next versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and macOS, Apple reportedly plans to use its WWDC23 keynote on June 5 to showcase some very interesting hardware.

Here’s a roundup of what to expect from the WWDC23 keynote, which streams live at 10 a.m. Pacific today.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With WWDC23 just days away, we’re going on the record with our predictions for Apple’s most momentous developer conference in years. Will iOS 17 allow alternative app stores? Will the Apple headset cost $3,000? Will our reputations survive this public guessing game?

Also on The CultCast:

• It looks like new high-end Macs will definitely be in the mix — and the leaked specs sound absolutely blistering.
• The Apple headset’s advanced hardware might make virtual reality look stunningly real.
• Generative AI shows us what the rest of Taylor Swift’s evermore album cover might look like.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Well-placed sources say Apple’s AR/VR headset blew them away. Even the guy who dreamed up the Oculus Rift says it’s great.

The more we hear about the device nobody seems to need, the more intrigued we become. And with WWDC23 just weeks away, we don’t have long to wait for answers to our questions. In the meantime, we can imagine the possibilities …

Also on The CultCast:

• How Apple’s M3 chip will stack up against its predecessors.
• Five hidden features in iMessage that you should try ASAP.
• Erfon finally gives us an update on his beloved, but beleaguered, original HomePod.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: ExpressVPN

Protect your online activity today with the VPN rated No. 1 by Business Insider. Visit ExpressVPN.com/cultcast to get an extra three months free on a one-year package.

Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset reportedly will use an external battery pack with a new type of proprietary magnetic connector. The wearer will keep the external battery in their pocket while using the headset.

It’s just one more way Apple’s as-yet-unannounced headset will differ from the competition.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The M2 Pro-powered Mac mini is a dream machine for creative types, according to our reviewer D. Griffin Jones. He joins us to sing the praises of this pint-size powerhouse. (It’s quite an upgrade from the 2015 MacBook Pro he used before.)

Also on The CultCast:

• It’s just two months until we’ll see Apple’s mixed-reality headset. We can’t help thinking this pricey “star product” is gonna flop hard, even as it points the way toward the future.
• A free book coming next week will reveal Steve Jobs “in his own words.”
• Will the next version of watchOS really bring big changes?
• Erfon knows where you can find a steady supply of genuine Apple accessories at cut-rate prices.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Our sponsors: Hello Fresh and Mylio

• Hello Fresh is America’s No. 1 food kit! Go to HelloFresh.com/cultcast50 and use code cultcast50 for 50% off, plus your first box ships free!
• Mylio is the easy way to manage all your photos on all your devices. Try it at Mylio.com/cultcast.

The in-air typing mode that Apple is testing for its first AR/VR headset sounds like a sci-fi dream — but at this point, it might be more of a nightmare. The feature reportedly has been “finicky in testing” on Apple’s latest secret prototypes.

For that reason, users might prefer to pair the headset to an iPhone for text input, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Deep down inside, you know you want to give your Mac the finger. Apple might make that happen in the (somewhat) near future, according to the latest rumor. That’s right — Apple reportedly is “seriously considering” making a touchscreen MacBook. That’s enough to get us chattering!

Also on The CultCast:

• Apple’s headset inches closer to (mixed) reality. But where are you going to put that waist-mounted battery pack if you don’t wear a belt?!? This is chaos!
• Lots of geeky talk on the future of Apple screens, and why microLED will make a big difference.
• What Apple products to expect this year, and when we think we’ll see them.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Our sponsors: Rocket Money and CultCloth

• Rocket Money is a personal finance app that finds and cancels your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps you lower your bills — all in one place. Stop throwing away your money. Cancel unwanted subscriptions and manage your expenses the easy way, by going to RocketMoney.com/cultcast.
• Get the only cleaning cloth you need: CultCloth!

Every year, Apple has some significant hardware upgrades planned for at least a few devices in its product lineup. 2023 could be an outlier, though.

This year, Apple’s major hardware launches will include its first AR/VR headset and the iPhone 15 series. While other products in the company’s lineup will receive a refresh, they will be relatively minor upgrades.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The more we hear about Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset, the more we’re perplexed about who is actually going to buy one. We take a long, hard look at the latest leaks — and come up shaking our heads.

Also on The CultCast:

• We might get a raft of exciting new Macs — including the first Mac Pro powered by Apple silicon — at a March event.
• Apple’s Pro Display XDR and Studio Display get some high-end competition.
• Sorry, voice actors. AI narrators look like the future of audiobooks (and Apple leads the charge).
• Our final best-of-2022 picks.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Squarespace gives you all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

Apple’s AR/VR headset development has reportedly hit another setback. As a result, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now predicts Apple will unveil the headset at a spring media event or at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

Rumors so far indicated Apple could hold an event in January 2023 to unveil the long-rumored headset.

After testing a version of Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset with an internal battery, the company’s engineers have resorted to using a separate battery pack connected by a wire, according to a new report about the secret project.

Other technical details emerged Tuesday about the long-rumored headset as well. The cutting-edge device reportedly delivers a surprisingly short two-hour battery life. And it reportedly comes with an H2 chip to pair with AirPods Pro, a dual-chip architecture that supports more than a dozen built-in cameras, and an adjustable dial to turn VR on and off.

Apple’s much-rumored AR/VR header won’t use Face ID or Touch ID. Instead, the mixed-reality device will reportedly scan the iris of the wearer’s eye to identify them.

Perhaps the feature will be called Eye ID.

Imagine standing in your backyard and looking up at a full-size Tyrannosaurus rex. That’s the possibility raised by a report that Apple asked producer Jon Favreau to turn his Prehistoric Planet docuseries into augmented reality or virtual reality. The project is supposedly for the AR/VR headset Apple will launch soon.

Apple also reportedly recruited other film and TV directors to create content, too.

The long-rumored Apple AR/VR headset won’t focus on games, according to a trove of information leaking out about the upcoming product. And it won’t emphasize helping designers create VR and AR content.

Much of the development effort seems to have gone into making a communication tool. But the design team has reportedly struggled to live up to Apple’s expectations that it’ll be better than existing headsets.

Although Apple’s VR/AR headset is still supposed to be a secret project, the company’s board of directors reportedly got a look at the device recently. This could be a sign the product is moving close to a release.

The long-rumored headset — which supposedly will offer both virtual reality and augmented reality capabilities — might be unveiled as soon as Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

One of the most hotly anticipated products of 2022 could be delayed until 2023, according to an unconfirmed report. Apple’s VR/AR headset might not be announced until late this year and not ship until next year.

Mechanical and software problems reportedly delayed the device, which supposedly will offer both virtual reality and augmented reality capabilities.

Apple’s first mixed-reality headset will ship with the same 96W power adapter that you get with some 14-inch MacBook Pro models, according to an analyst, who says that’s proof the device will pack plenty of computing power.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also expects Apple’s “metaverse headset” to be around two to three years ahead of competing products. And he says it could sell as many as 3 million units during its first full year of availability, rising to 20 million units in 2025.

Apple’s first mixed reality headset will feature “pancake” lenses that allow for a lighter, more compact design, according to a new report. The device is still on track to make its debut in late 2022, despite early production delays.

However, it is believed the headset — which is expected to offer both augmented and virtual reality experiences — will be in short supply initially. Availability is set to increase substantially in early 2023.

Apple might break into a new product category in 2022. The company reportedly will unveil its long-rumored virtual reality and augmented reality headset.

Over the years, Apple profoundly changed the smartphone, tablet, smartwatch and MP3 player markets, taking niche products mainstream. It’s possible it’s about to do the same for VR/AR.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: New renders give us an even better vision of what Apple’s mixed-reality headset might look like. We’re still not convinced we’ll be wondering around with these things strapped to our heads — especially if they cost $3,000. However, we must admit that the concept art by Ian Zelbo does look pretty cool.

Also on The CultCast:

• Your Apple Wallet might get you on a plane next year.
• An AirTags Christmas miracle.
• An unfortunate darts disaster.
• More picks for Gear of the Year!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Apple’s first mixed reality headset will pack a number of advanced sensors that allow for innovative gesture controls, according to one analyst.

It is believed the device will be able to recognize subtle changes in hand movements, like the clench of a fist, to allow users to interact with virtual objects without using another device, such as a controller.

Apple’s mixed-reality headset will launch later than previously anticipated due to delays surrounding its complex design, an analyst says. Previously expected to enter mass production during the second quarter of 2022, the much-anticipated device’s time line reportedly has been pushed back to late 2022.

Cupertino supposedly wants to deliver a product far better than anything seen in the augmented reality or virtual reality spaces so far. That means pairing a groundbreaking design with high-end specifications and a solid ecosystem of software and services.