First Apple Mixed Reality Headset Rumored to Focus on Gaming, Media, and Communication

[wigby]

I mean… yeah.
What else would they focus on?
Also honest question here.
I’m a completely blind Apple user.
Every device of there’s, from the iPhone and iPad to the Mac to the Watch to the Apple TV and even the HomePod are extremely accessible, the leaders in their field.
If these glasses are truly the iPhone killer, how is Apple going to sell these things to someone like me?
How do you make Apple Glass a fully accessible product like an iPhone or a Mac

These rumors always fail to mention the audio component in AR, VR and MR which is just as important in creating immersive experiences. Apple is already leading the industry with spatial audio in products like AirPods so there is no reason to believe this headset wouldn't include some powerful integrated audio as well.

I'm still waiting for always-on Siri in a cellular connected AirPod device that monitors health vitals while it gives me directions, reads me emails and tells me the name of the iPhone user that I am speaking to or nearby.

And I don't want to hear anyone complain about how bad Siri is because Siri is actually doing all of these things to some degree already and I don't see Google or Alexa doing anything like that yet.

 

[v3rlon]

I wonder at people who can't see applications for an AR headset (done right, of course. If it is a disaster, that is another matter). Let's start easy: driving. Fighter pilots had been using HUDs for years. Even a fair number of cars have them. Now you can have all the information right there, with no need to take your eyes off the road, or even refocus them to short range. Speed, speed limit, that right turn coming up in 0.2 miles, and more (if it can link up with your car - "Hey Siri, what is my tire pressure?") are unobtrusive, but available. You could conceivably have something akin to night vision, depending on how good the camera is.

How could it help with learning? Showing you were/how to paint, or how to properly hold that violin bow. Real time translation of foreign language writings is pretty close now on an iPhone. Now imagine being able to have it always on. What is the name of that star you are looking at? Hey, can I zoom in a bit and maybe boost the signal at the expense of some framerate?

Are you allergic to peanuts? Can you highlight the products on the store shelves made with peanut products? While you might not trust the UN-highlighted products to be safe, it could narrow down your search by eliminating the known bad. And by the way, is this the best price for this product (remember when Red Laser Scanner App was useful?)?

Real time walking directions to my bus stop along with a tracker showing where the bus I need to catch is would be another easy one.

And this is just some easy stuff, most of which is already attainable with a smart phone. I guess if you can't see the applications, at least the glasses will make you look smart - like Chris Hemsworth in that female Ghostbusters reboot.

Oh, I forgot - nationwide lowering of stress and blood pressure. Seriously, how many people have you almost ran over in a parking lot or street somewhere as they stared down at their phone oblivious to your 2 ton death machine bearing down on them (only to remind yourself that it would be illegal, regardless of how much good it would do for the species if you could prevent them from reproducing)? Now, they can at least pretend to be paying attention to the world while they watch TikTok, and you won't feel that pang of guilt as you step on the brakes.

 

[wigby]

Hopefully they're talking about actual see-through 4K displays, otherwise the potential lag between what you see and what's happening could be disorienting/nauseating, even if you're not aware of it. It could be okay for something like a headset that you're not supposed to wear and walk around with all day long, but for the future Apple glasses that's going to be pretty much a requirement.

We don't need to see through a display in order to experience zero lag. Camera operators spend hours looking through camera viewfinders while walking around and have no issues with lag or disorientation. Of course I expect Apple to layer graphical data on top of the real world image and correlate that to head and eye tracking and positioning in space without any perceptible lag but I don't think that's too much to ask either. The latest consumer VR headsets are already accomplishing this.

 

[wigby]

Apple's rumored augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headset will focus on gaming, media consumption, and communication, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Concept render of Apple's rumored AR headset by https://www.macrumors.com/2021/02/10/apple-mixed-reality-headset-renders/Antonio De Rosa​

Gurman, who often reveals accurate insights into Apple's plans, outlined the broad use-cases that users can expect from the company's mixed reality headset in his weekly "Power On" newsletter.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently explained that Apple is preparing to position its headset to be capable of replacing the iPhone in 10 years, but Gurman today clarified that the first-generation version of the device will not be a Mac, iPhone or iPad replacement from the start.

Instead, Gurman believes that the headset will focus on three "killer" features: gaming, media consumption, and communication.

A large number of details about the headset's hardware and specifications have now been reported, with the device rumored to feature a lightweight design, two main processors, two 4K micro LED displays, 15 optical modules, eye-tracking, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, and more. Apple has filed a number of patents related to the device's potential software and while it is expected to feature a see-through AR mode, the anticipated software features Gurman outlined today are among the limited number of rumors around the device's functionality.

With Apple's mixed reality headset now "approaching liftoff," according to Morgan Stanley analysts, Kuo believes that the device will begin mass production in the second quarter of 2022 and launch in the fourth quarter of 2022. For more information about the Apple's AR and VR plans, see our detailed roundup that outlines everything rumors and leaks say we can expect.

Article Link: First Apple Mixed Reality Headset Rumored to Focus on Gaming, Media, and Communication

I have no doubts about media and communication but not gaming. Apple accidentally fell into gaming with iPhone despite all their bad choices and disinterest in gaming as manifested through decades. Just look at all the competing gaming peripherals and software available now and then look at Apple Arcade and you are seeing the future of Apple gaming efforts. I like Apple Arcade but it's designed for families and is not cutting edge the way gamer culture expects hardware and software to perform. No one is going to pay $1k to $2k for a headset that essentially plays VR/AR/MR Apple Arcade games. Apple want to control the gaming content they provide on their own platform but that will never happen unless they buy up every major gaming studio first.

 

[boss.king]

I'm still waiting for always-on Siri in a cellular connected AirPod device that monitors health vitals while it gives me directions, reads me emails and tells me the name of the iPhone user that I am speaking to or nearby.

Seems like a wild privacy violation.

 

[zorinlynx]

I don't understand how Apple is going to break more into the gaming market.

Gaming on Apple devices is weak, sorry to say. A few titles get ported over, but they often don't run that well and are often orphaned by their developers when Apple does platform changes (look at Valve's Source engine games for example. Can't play TF2 in modern MacOS anymore.)

Yesterday I was visiting a friend and he showed me his $1500 Asus gaming laptop. He was running GTA V, Formula One, Spyro Reignited, and a bunch of other games at beautiful liquid-smooth framerates and it was amazing. Can't do a tenth of the gaming as him on my Macbook.

The simple truth is gamers who are also Apple fans need to have a either a console, or a dedicated gaming computer running Windows. Apple gives lip service to games at best. I played around with some of the stuff on Apple Arcade and it's mediocre, and the rest of the games on the app store are f2p trash. Apple needs to do a better job courting the game industry if they expect something like this to take off.

I'm seriously thinking of dropping by Best Buy and picking up an Asus laptop like his, because that was just delicious. And this is despite being an Apple fan for *EVERYTHING* else.

 

[cmChimera]

So I guess the target market is going to be the kids?

Games and media consumption are definitely not markets that are exclusive to children.

 

[Naraxus]

Great. Spend hundreds of dollars to play AR "games" that are no more than recycled iOS junk souped up for augmented reality.

Hard pass.

 

[boss.king]

Nerds told people in the 1980's that everyone would have a computer in their house in the future.
Techies told people in the 1990's that everyone would be using the Internet in the future.
Prosumers told people in the 2000's that everyone would have a cellphone in the future.
Most people have been using technology since the 2010's and here we are at the end of 2021, where there's no such thing as average consumers not using cutting-edge technologies anymore.

If the technology cycle is roughly the same then it means basically everyone will be wearing AR glasses by 2031~2041 and people without a pair will be seen the same way as someone without a smartphone in 2021.

Techies also said full self-driving cars were a decade away a decade ago. Let's not forget all the wildly inaccurate predictions that tech lovers have made about the future.

 

[jz0309]

Nerds told people in the 1980's that everyone would have a computer in their house in the future.
Techies told people in the 1990's that everyone would be using the Internet in the future.
Prosumers told people in the 2000's that everyone would have a cellphone in the future.
Most people have been using technology since the 2010's and here we are at the end of 2021, where there's no such thing as average consumers not using cutting-edge technologies anymore.

If the technology cycle is roughly the same then it means basically everyone will be wearing AR glasses by 2031~2041 and people without a pair will be seen the same way as someone without a smartphone in 2021.

No argument, and did you read the last sentence in my post? “If history proves me wrong in 10 years…”
It’s a loooong way to go, and only history will show if history repeats itself

 

[wigby]

I wonder at people who can't see applications for an AR headset (done right, of course. If it is a disaster, that is another matter). Let's start easy: driving. Fighter pilots had been using HUDs for years. Even a fair number of cars have them. Now you can have all the information right there, with no need to take your eyes off the road, or even refocus them to short range. Speed, speed limit, that right turn coming up in 0.2 miles, and more (if it can link up with your car - "Hey Siri, what is my tire pressure?") are unobtrusive, but available. You could conceivably have something akin to night vision, depending on how good the camera is.

How could it help with learning? Showing you were/how to paint, or how to properly hold that violin bow. Real time translation of foreign language writings is pretty close now on an iPhone. Now imagine being able to have it always on. What is the name of that star you are looking at? Hey, can I zoom in a bit and maybe boost the signal at the expense of some framerate?

Are you allergic to peanuts? Can you highlight the products on the store shelves made with peanut products? While you might not trust the UN-highlighted products to be safe, it could narrow down your search by eliminating the known bad. And by the way, is this the best price for this product (remember when Red Laser Scanner App was useful?)?

Real time walking directions to my bus stop along with a tracker showing where the bus I need to catch is would be another easy one.

And this is just some easy stuff, most of which is already attainable with a smart phone. I guess if you can't see the applications, at least the glasses will make you look smart - like Chris Hemsworth in that female Ghostbusters reboot.

Oh, I forgot - nationwide lowering of stress and blood pressure. Seriously, how many people have you almost ran over in a parking lot or street somewhere as they stared down at their phone oblivious to your 2 ton death machine bearing down on them (only to remind yourself that it would be illegal, regardless of how much good it would do for the species if you could prevent them from reproducing)? Now, they can at least pretend to be paying attention to the world while they watch TikTok, and you won't feel that pang of guilt as you step on the brakes.

There's still a big disconnect between the applications you describe and current consumer AR/VR/MR products the same way there's a disconnect between cars that include safety/navigation features and fully autonomous driving. It's still a little too far into the future for most consumers to conceive of relinquishing full control to a computer even though they are already doing so when they ride an elevator, monorail or obey a stoplight. Also, we've only heard about prices around $2k for the initial headset which doesn't justify any of those applications since we can already do them with a $1k phone or just don't need or want them. Until the form factor and price shrink, only a handful of enthusiasts will be experiencing any of the applications you mention.

 

[jz0309]

I could get on board with media consumption. Would much rather watch a movie in full immersion than squinting on a tiny seat-back screen on a plane.

And pay 2-3k for such a device???
Sure, there will be some but it is not a killer use case

 

[bradman83]

We've spent all of 2020 and most of 2021 only able to see people's eyes over their masks, in 1-2 years we'll be able to see their mouths but not their eyes!

 

[cupcakes2000]

Nerds told people in the 1980's that everyone would have a computer in their house in the future.
Techies told people in the 1990's that everyone would be using the Internet in the future.
Prosumers told people in the 2000's that everyone would have a cellphone in the future.
Most people have been using technology since the 2010's and here we are at the end of 2021, where there's no such thing as average consumers not using cutting-edge technologies anymore.

If the technology cycle is roughly the same then it means basically everyone will be wearing AR glasses by 2031~2041 and people without a pair will be seen the same way as someone without a smartphone in 2021.

I agree with the concept, but the implementation is hugely different. A computer I the house isn’t a big leap from a tv. A smart phone is no leap at all from a mobile - which in itself isn’t a far cry from a portable music player or a wallet or anything else in your pocket. A watch is a watch, for example. Requiring an actual headset which replaces real world sight is a big step away from normalcy.

 

[nwcs]

Used for media consumption and gaming... That's about all these devices seem to do. All the predecessor devices do the same. It hasn't changed the world and this won't either. I know I'll be downvoted by true believers of AR/VR but this is one area that has been investigated at one form or another for 40 years and it still hasn't fulfilled the exuberant promises proponents make.

 

[t0rqx]

Cannot imagine people would want this headset strapped on their face for prolonged times. Think about the eye damage this might create…

 

[Brandon42]

Does it do the Cylon red eye sweeping effect? That seems like a pretty basic feature to include.

 

[nwcs]

Does it do the Cylon red eye sweeping effect? That seems like a pretty basic feature to include.

I’ll wait for the glowing spine effect.

 

[scotty321]

So many commenters with no vision or imagination. Is there a big demand for it? Was there a big demand for iPhone 1 before it came out?

Um, yes.

 

[Pakaku]

Used for media consumption and gaming... That's about all these devices seem to do. All the predecessor devices do the same. It hasn't changed the world and this won't either. I know I'll be downvoted by true believers of AR/VR but this is one area that has been investigated at one form or another for 40 years and it still hasn't fulfilled the exuberant promises proponents make.

That's about all these devices seem to be predicted to do, but I don't think people who predict this is just for media consumption are thinking far ahead enough. It's capable of that, but there's more potential. Otherwise why would a company like Apple, who for all intents and purposes cannot break into the gaming market, supposedly be looking into a device like this? A smartwatch has health-related capabilities that can augment a person's life, so why shouldn't a headset be just as or more capable.

 

[TracerAnalog]

I mean… yeah.
What else would they focus on?
Also honest question here.
I’m a completely blind Apple user.
Every device of there’s, from the iPhone and iPad to the Mac to the Watch to the Apple TV and even the HomePod are extremely accessible, the leaders in their field.
If these glasses are truly the iPhone killer, how is Apple going to sell these things to someone like me?
How do you make Apple Glass a fully accessible product like an iPhone or a Mac

Well, since you ask: those AR glasses are probably also very good sensors of your surroundings. It seems obvious to me that Apple can put these sensors to good use for visually impaired people (or people with hearing loss). I think that virtual audio (and video) can play a huge role here.

One challenge will be the HMI; not everything can be handled by voice (yet). I find Siri to be impressive and incredibly frustrating at the same time. I’m curious: what is your experience as a blind person?

 

[Le0M]

This thing will be groundbreaking.

4K pass through. You won’t be looking at the world with your eyes anymore, instead you’ll be viewing them through a a camera with augmented reality layer!

If I'm not able to see through the screen without the use of a camera, then this kind of AR is not for me.

 

[kiensoy]

Well, lets me honest, Apple has not had a G4 Cube, iPod Hi-Fi or trash can Mac Pro type dud in years. So, maybe this is the next one.

HomePod

 

[Crow_Servo]

HomePod

Yep. A wired portable speaker makes no sense. Apple screwed up with that one, along with its Mini counterpart. All it needed was the ability to function without a power cord like virtually every other bluetooth speaker on the market.

 

[nwcs]

That's about all these devices seem to be predicted to do, but I don't think people who predict this is just for media consumption are thinking far ahead enough. It's capable of that, but there's more potential. Otherwise why would a company like Apple, who for all intents and purposes cannot break into the gaming market, supposedly be looking into a device like this? A smartwatch has health-related capabilities that can augment a person's life, so why shouldn't a headset be just as or more capable.

It’s the same story with Facebook/Oculus, Microsoft, and others. I can think of all sorts of theoretical advantages but the hard reality is these have remained a novelty. After 40 years it takes more than promises of what it might one day do. It takes real inroads to go beyond solving an invented problem. It wasn’t until they landed on health that the watch took off. The first iterations were really just gadgets without much purpose. Even now they are more luxury than necessary overall. I have one, and have for years, but my life wouldn’t change much if I stopped wearing it. It’s only the few health things that keep me wearing it.