| Cult of Mac

Apple’s AR headset could feature ‘pancake’ lenses and arrive in late 2022

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Apple AR VR headset
Good luck getting one at launch.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

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 VR/AR headset might pack more screens than people have eyes

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This Apple VR headset concept
The Apple VR/AR headset is only a concept now, but details keep leaking out.
Concept: Antonio De Rosa

Apple’s upcoming virtual reality and augmented reality headset will have three displays, according to a new report by display-industry analysts. They also have a prediction for what the third screen will be used for.

Rumors indicate the VR/AR headset finally will surface in 2022.

What to expect from Apple’s AR/VR headset in 2022

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What to expect from Apple AR/VR headset in 2022
Augmented reality has the potential to change how we use all computers. And Apple is getting into the market in 2022.
Graphic: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

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.

Apple hires Meta AR comms chief for its rumored headset launch

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Apple’s first AR/VR headset might look like ski goggles
Information supposedly leaking from Apple indicates the Apple AR/VR headset will look a lot like this.
Photo: RendersByIan

Apple reportedly hired Meta’s AR communications chief recently, a move that fits with Cupertino’s long-rumored plan to launch an augmented reality/virtual reality headset.

Observers expect Apple to unveil its mixed-reality headset sometime in 2022. And, according to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, Apple is forming a team to handle the hardware’s launch and marketing. Part of this appears to be the hiring of Andrea Schubert, chief of communications and public relations for AR at Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook.

Apple mixed reality headset could feature advanced gesture controls

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Apple mixed reality headset
It probably won't look anything like this.
Photo: Vu Hoang/Flickr CC

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 first AR headset could arrive late next year with super-speedy chip

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Apple’s first AR headset could launch in 2022, AR glasses in 2023
It could pack as much power as an M1 Mac.
Concept: Taeyeon Kim

Apple’s much-anticipated augmented reality headset could finally drop late next year, according to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The device is expected to pack a surprisingly powerful chip that would put it on par with an M1 Mac in processing performance. A second low-power processor will reportedly handle the headset’s many built-in sensors.

Apple’s first mixed-reality headset already faces production delays

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Apple could take on the likes of Oculus with a VR headset as early as 2022.
The wait drags on.
Photo: Minh Pham/Unsplash CC

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.

Adobe Substance 3D Collection revamps tools in one suite

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Adobe's new Substance 3D Collection packs lots of creative capabilities.
Adobe's new Substance 3D Collection packs lots of creative capabilities.
Photo: Adobe

Today Adobe released its new Adobe Substance 3D Collection, a suite of interoperable tools and assets that support 3D creativity. It addresses a near-future the company pictures where 3D work’s not just for blockbuster movies and games anymore, but for anyone.

The updated apps now sit in one integrated subscription package, intended as a do-it-all capture-and-create place for 3D art, sampling and virtual photography. The tools can enhance video games, e-commerce and marketing projects, and even virtual reality content.

Surprise! Apple might unveil mixed-reality headset in 2021

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This Apple VR headset concept
The Apple VR headset might jump from concept to reality sooner than expected.
Concept: Antonio De Rosa

Apple supposedly will announce its first virtual reality/augmented reality headset “in the next several months,” according to a very reliable source. It could be as quickly as WWDC 2021.  That’s well before other predictions.

While the iPhone-maker hasn’t committed to any such device, its VR headset has been the subject of many leaks. But no one can agree on when it’ll reach customers. Most recent reports have pointed to some point in 2022, though.

Apple’s AR headset could weigh half as much as rivals’

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Apple could take on the likes of Oculus with a VR headset as early as 2022.
Ming-Chi Kuo has the inside track on Apple's AR headset.
Photo: Minh Pham/Unsplash CC

Apple’s augmented reality/mixed reality headset reportedly will weigh less than 150 grams. That’s about half the weight of current VR headsets, suggesting that Cupertino plans to make its debut AR/MR headset more streamlined than competitors. (What a surprise!)

Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities made this prediction in a new note to clients, seen by Cult of Mac.