Gurman: Apple Headset Could Feature 'In-Air' Typing for Text Input, No iPhone Pairing Required

[Born Again]

Sorry but there is not one aspect of this headset that interests me. Not one. Each new leak does nothing to entice me to want this. If you are interested, enjoy, but I just have no desire to strap this to my head.

Give it a chance I say.

Better to have loved and lost than not loved at all.

 

[jclardy]

I’m really hoping this device is really a developer focused first version, as these are the things that need to be “magical” for users the first time they try them. For example - the touchscreen keyboard on iPhone - everyone thought it would be trash as blackberry/palm/windows phone ”pro” devices all had hardware keyboards and a stylus.

I have a Quest and it does everything pretty well, but hand tracking input is still finicky. Also every app developer has their own ideas of how VR controls should work, so you never know whether you tap a button, pinch your fingers, or put your hand through a button to select it. Apple needs to define the human interface guidelines for the platform and get them pretty close to correct at launch for this thing to have a chance.

 

[bobcomer]

Is this a site for tech enthusiast? It sounds that the majority prefer the nearly 100 years paradigm of 2D screen (the TV) than some thing new.

No, it's a Mac rumors site, no tech enthusiast needed.

As for 2D screens, yep, I do prefer that, it's how we all see outside of 25 feet anyway and our brains are tuned to get the most info out of it. I can't see in 3D at all, and function quite normally without it.

I guess the explnation is simpler: the majority lack 3-5k for this product which hurts their enthusiast status a lot. Reminds me of the 6k XDR display and the stand.

That's very unlikely, like I said, *Mac* rumors site, I expect most people around here buy Mac's, so they probably have the money for it.

The real explanation for me, is why in heck would I want to wear a headset to do anything -- there's just no reason to do so. I don't do much gaming, my xbox covers that, and I actually like keyboards/mouse/monitors for interacting with computers. And, fwiw, I do have the money to spend 3-5K on something, I have Mac's, including a Studio Max that was in that range. (and other computers as well.) There are things I wont spend my money on though, like a 6K XDR Display, or a VR/AR headset.

 

[nt5672]

I already replace my cars every 2 to 3 years since I buy them through my business so no big deal... one just got completely totaled by a drunk driver . Also my Mac Pro is still running fine after 10 years... and my 5 year old iPad Pro is still supported (and still on monthly AppleCare still since my 13 year old nephew uses it and I've had the screen fixed 5 times already)... and my 2017 27" iMac that my mom uses is on the newest macOS. I still get all the new stuff though. I don't understand why you think 2 to 3 years they don't support anymore. I may or may not get the headset depending on what the uses for it are.

Because Apple disables devices just because they can, not because it is necessary.

Yeah, my example was a little extreme, but none-the-less the concept still applies.

If you replace you car every 2 to 3 years then you must be part of the elite and therefore, of course, it does not apply to you. Nothing seems to apply to elites any more.

 

[koelsh]

A) First, the existence of goggles doesn't eliminate all other screens. Where the "as is" already exists and/or serves a more useful purpose, people will still use screens on desk/lap/phone/tablet/wall/tv/billboard/blimp/watch/etc. This would simply be ANOTHER screen, not the only screen.

As to sharing a screen issues, you have a telescope in your yard and you are looking at Jupiter. Along comes someone else without a telescope. They want to see Jupiter too. So you may choose to let them have a look.

You have a microscope at your lab desk and are looking at the new samples. You spy something interesting. Co-workers in the lab have a look to see the interesting observation too.

You are using binoculars on the expedition and you spy the prize. The others can’t see it without magnification. So you hand them the binoculars so they can see the prize too.

You find a funny YouTube video on your phone. You laugh. Others around you wonder what is so funny, and you show them on your screen, perhaps passing around your phone in a situation where all eyes can't gather around you.

You flashback to using viewmaster (toy) as a kid. You have some new slide images. You and your friends pass around your viewmaster so they can see it too.

You time travel back to when someone in the neighborhood was the first with a television. Now people they barely know- even complete strangers- want to come over and watch moving pictures.

Yes, all these people can buy/get their own telescope, microscope, binoculars, phone, viewmaster, tv, etc and/or just do without seeing whatever you get to see in yours. But the point is sharing devices to show/see interesting things is nothing new at all. And if you are worried about grease & grime, don’t share.

B) if you have to “rip” anything off of you to be able to take a pee, perhaps that thing is not for you?

If I have a laptop on my lap and need to take a pee, a few simple motions gets the laptop off my lap so I’m free to go pee. No need NOT creating a laptop computer because it will impede people’s ability to go the restroom. People will figure out how to remove it from their lap and go pee.

If I have wired headphones on my head and need to pee, a simple motion removes them so I can go pee.

If a model is wrapped up in an elaborate bit of garb for fashion week and needs to pee, they certainly find a way. I’m yet to see a wet catwalk.

If the Ironman stunt double needs to take a pee, they won’t soon be creating rust in there.

If I’m wearing a helmet for the bike or motorcycle ride and need to pee, a simple motion removes the helmet.

Do skiers generally pee their pants because it’s too hard to deal with their masks?

If I’m a welder, I am not obligated to simply pee my pants because it’s too hard to “rip” that much more sizable mask from my head.

Etc.

Again, it’s fine for people to not like the idea of new technologies such as this one… but neither of these issues comes with some very difficult or undesirable hurdles to use this thing. There’s already plenty of precedent for both issues that don’t overly complicate one’s life and or lead to stinky pants or unfortunate puddles. 😉

And just as we can opt to NOT share existing technology with others, we can simply say “No” to the filthy, grimy, diseased stranger wanting to use our <whatever> now.

You make some great points here and elsewhere.

A) I wasn’t mentioning AR goggles replacing other screens whole cloth. I was pointing out one reason some people may be less enthusiastic about it.

B) You do bring up good points about people not wetting themselves whenever they wear something inconvenient. However it's still the case that you just walk away from a screen on the desk or telescope or microscope or television. In case of a laptop or tablet or phone or binoculars you set it down and walk away. Goggles, like anything else that is worn, have to be removed before it can be set down before you can walk away.

B.2) I was using the term "rip" more in terms of inconvenience. Think of any time you've sat down and gotten comfortable to remember something needed from across the room. Now you have to get back up, get the thing, sit back down, and get comfy again. With goggles I imagine it being like a sweatshirt. Sometimes it goes on easy, some days it keeps needing to be adjusted because it bunches up in that one spot over and over aauugghhh.

 

[darngooddesign]

If they look like that, they're going to need a Swatch sticker.

 

[wigby]

Dictation and suggestions / autocorrect are great if you use one language 100% of the time. The moment you use three and tend to mix them no machine can keep up, sadly.

That sounds like a legitimate complaint but also an edge case. Apple never develops and scales to include edge cases unless it's something that users cannot possibly control such as physical disabilities.

 

[darngooddesign]

That sounds like a legitimate complaint but also an edge case. Apple never develops and scales to include edge cases unless it's something that users cannot possibly control such as physical disabilities.

It's an edge case for Americans, but not people in Europe or the rest of the world.

 

[jmgregory1]

Maybe we are the last generation to enjoy and embrace face to face interaction and all of the other benefits that go with it. Can’t believe some 26 years old is being considered outdated person sometimes.

I hope that isn’t the case. We’re a social species and there is so much to enjoy in our real physical world that AR/VR can’t replace.

 

[hortod1]

I can't even get Siri to call my Mom's home number, much less on speaker. One iOS update it works, another it stops again.

Valid point

 

[Will Co]

I don't see goggles replacing SDs- only being another kind of screen. People with established desktops will still have established desktops. People wanting to set up new static workstations will likely still do it as they do it now. I chose a 40" ultra-wide for my main desktop. I love the expansive screen RE and it doesn't put any weight on any part of my body. For all I know, it is weightless as I never lift it. However, it's also fully anchored to that spot.

When I travel, I can't have that great screen with me. As is, the traveling choices are 16" or less. I really feel that dramatic difference. Goggles might deliver a virtual MacBook screen that is the much coveted 17" revival. If so, why not a 20" option too? How about 24"? How about 30"? 36"? 40"? 50"? 100"? The keyboard + trackpad half doesn't need to grow at all but the as is paradigm of a laptop basically forces the bottom half to size up to match the top half. This can break that general constraint for anyone wanting a >16" laptop.

It's hard to imagine Apple ever going greater than 17" in a MB again. So how might they deliver a bigger screen MB without making the whole thing a lot bigger?

CES debuted some laptops with rollout/foldout (extra) screens: basically 2 physical screens in one laptop.

View attachment 2165267

Perhaps the folding screen technologies being experimented with mobile devices may come into play? Perhaps the rollup screen technologies may bring something? Goggles may be one more, fairly compact (almost certainly lighter weight) option for a mobile Mac experience without needing the whole Mac to be an unwieldy size.

Typical, commonplace example: business travel (that's me) wanting to do some work on the long flight. Many airlines have seats so crammed there is simply not enough space to open a laptop on the tray table and get to work. The tray table barely has enough room for only a keyboard. I've actually "rigged up" what amounts to a hanging iPad screen (hanging on the back of the seat) and a bluetooth keyboard on the tray table before. I'd much rather have a real computer with a much bigger screen but you do what you can when you need improvisation.

So potentially this puts a bluetooth keyboard in the bag (too). Pull out goggles like some pull out headphones for the flight, put them on like people put on headphones/sleep masks now, and that becomes the screen "half" of the laptop. Put the keyboard on the tray table. A simple bluetooth keyboard is small enough to fit on any tray table.

The VR eliminates the cramped quarters feel of the seat. Suddenly the seat right in front of you is no longer there, nor are any other seats. Summon your Studio Display VR or my Ultra-Wide VR in the goggles... or perhaps 2 of them side by side... or perhaps 4 of them if you need that much RE. AR shows your keyboard on that tray table and then your hands when they start using that keyboard below the virtual screen(s) you have chosen to use on this flight.

Is this appealing enough to pay for it? How much do business travelers pay for a single size screen laptop now? If "time is money," how much would it be worth to business traveler to get work done on all those flights vs. getting nothing done because they lacked sufficient room to use their laptop? How many first-class seat upgrades (for the working space) would it take to wash $3K as a one-time purchase?

And that's just one common example. Look around at the technology landscape now. Lots of entities are experimenting on ways to deliver bigger screens for portable/mobile tech. Folds, rolls, projector, are all in play now. This might simply offer another way to deliver sizable screens without fattening up the rest of the tech that doesn't need to size up to fit the larger screen.

I'm not sure if the OP to which I replied was suggesting that AR would replace fixed displays, and neither was I. But if they could offer an alternative, that could be really interesting, particularly when mobile. I love the idea of a "compute cube" which lives in your backpack and you simply don the goggles to use the unit, perhaps with a BLE keyboard/mouse/trackpad combo too.

That said - and I'm not an expert on optics - I suspect there are limitations as to what can be achieved when it comes to having virtually-wide-high-res displays generated from a display device sitting inside a goggle and viewed through a lens. I know that "Retina display" is generally defined as having such a high resolution that the eye cannot discern pixels and to achieve this a display needs to be able to deliver about 60 pixels per degree of arc subtended at the eye. Take the HTC Vive, for example, which per eye has a 1080 horizontal resolution over a field of view of about 100 degree. It therefore has a pixel density of only 11. That's a lot lower than 60.

Apologies if you know this already - just pointing out a few numbers for other readers.

Your gorgeous display might offer "retinal class" because even though it's 40" wide it's probably sitting about 0.5m away from your face and therefore gives a field of view (edge to edge) of about 90 degrees. To give a pixel density of 60 it would need a horizontal resolution of around 5400 - very possible - or close to it.

But to give us what you're describing - an AR derived virtual monitor - Apple has to cram 5-6K resolution into only a couple of inches of display width, because that width is positioned so close to the eye. I don't think that manufacturers can create pixels that small. Yet. Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.

So whilst I absolutely love what you describe and want one - tomorrow - I don't think it's going to be achievable with any current or soon-to-available AR/VR tech.

Apple have a history of taking what's already on the market and reengineering it into something amazing. Let's hope they can do it again.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

You make some great points here and elsewhere.

A) I wasn’t mentioning AR goggles replacing other screens whole cloth. I was pointing out one reason some people may be less enthusiastic about it.

B) You do bring up good points about people not wetting themselves whenever they wear something inconvenient. However it's still the case that you just walk away from a screen on the desk or telescope or microscope or television. In case of a laptop or tablet or phone or binoculars you set it down and walk away. Goggles, like anything else that is worn, have to be removed before it can be set down before you can walk away.

B.2) I was using the term "rip" more in terms of inconvenience. Think of any time you've sat down and gotten comfortable to remember something needed from across the room. Now you have to get back up, get the thing, sit back down, and get comfy again. With goggles I imagine it being like a sweatshirt. Sometimes it goes on easy, some days it keeps needing to be adjusted because it bunches up in that one spot over and over aauugghhh.

B) Do you really think it will be some ordeal to remove the goggles? I've had ski & swim goggles on my head throughout my life and they pop off about as easily as sunglasses. Lots of people have headphones on their heads and I don't see any great struggle to remove them either. It's not like you have to strap in or anything. They just slip on much like ski goggles or headphones. They will come off just as easily.

B.2) I think that scenario with a laptop in lap is no less complicated. Both seem to involve what might be considered 2 steps:

Laptop (usually):

• Close laptop
• Set it off of your lap

Goggles (assumption):

• Lift goggles off head
• Set them down

If anything, I would assume Goggles is the slightly simpler motion: off head and set down. Laptop is close, lift, horizontally rotate off lap area, set down.

As to A), there are plenty of reasons to be less enthusiastic:

• the unknowns about a product that has no Apple version yet
• Battery life rumors have been poor
• Rumors of a separate battery pack to be worn elsewhere on the body (and it is poor (rumors) too)
• Weight? Fit?
• Compatibility with glasses & contact wearers
• Tradition of dizziness/headaches when using other cracks at goggles
• Software apps at launch
• Price
• Every possible negative that can be spun about all things meta/metaverse
• Rich imaginations at coming up with negatives but seemingly poor imaginations at coming up with positives
• How we look (wearing goggles)
• The extremists coming out with very narrow scenarios where Goggles make little sense (which is just as easily done with phone, tablet, watch, Mac and just about anything else).
• Makeup & hair affects

Etc. It's not hard to imagine the worst and there is plenty of tangible possibilities that seem like they could easily apply. However, you would think a pool of Apple fans could put in about as much mental effort imagining the best too. I suspect once they are actually revealed... once Apple tells the flock about the greatness of goggles... so many of these "I see no point", "99% don't need", etc, etc people will magically transform into "shut up and take my money" and "Apple does it again." See the infamous iPod launch thread where iPod was ripped in about every way possible. See the iPhone anticipation threads before it was revealed. iPad was "only a big iPod" and "$999 is completely insane for a big iPod", etc.

To me, all these pre-launch threads look like those. We imagine the worst before it is revealed and then flip our very passionate opinions once it is released. I have to come back to a simple "reality": Apple has been working on these for 5+ years. Who knows how much money has been put into them? Can mighty Apple work on something for so long and roll out a useless product that nobody will want? While I can easily fault them for some of their product decision-making, I just don't believe they can get this as wrong as the cumulative opinions in threads like this one imply.

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

LMAO Air typing using eye movements and gestures.

GTFO with that.

Nobody asked for such a cumbersome tiring thing that will definitely have bugs.

Fix the iPhone keyboard lags instead.

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

B) Do you really think it will be some ordeal to remove the goggles? I've had ski & swim goggles on my head throughout my life and they pop off about as easily as sunglasses. Lots of people have headphones on their heads and I don't see any great struggle to remove them either. It's not like you have to strap in or anything. They just slip on much like ski goggles or headphones. They will come off just as easily.

B.2) I think that scenario with a laptop in lap is no less complicated. Both seem to involve what might be considered 2 steps:

Laptop (usually):

• Close laptop
• Set it off of your lap

Goggles (assumption):

• Lift goggles off head
• Set them down

If anything, I would assume Goggles is the slightly simpler motion: off head and set down. Laptop is close, lift, horizontally rotate off lap area, set down.

As to A), there are plenty of reasons to be less enthusiastic:

• the unknowns about a product that has no Apple version yet
• Battery life rumors have been poor
• Rumors of a separate battery pack to be worn elsewhere on the body (and it is poor (rumors) too)
• Weight? Fit?
• Compatibility with glasses & contact wearers
• Tradition of dizziness/headaches when using other cracks at goggles
• Software apps at launch
• Price
• Rich imaginations at coming up with negatives but seemingly poor imaginations at coming up with positives
• How we look (wearing goggles)
• The extremists coming out with very narrow scenarios where Goggles make little sense (which is just as easily done with phone, tablet, watch, Mac and just about anything else).
• Makeup & hair affects

Etc. It's not hard to imagine the worst and there is plenty of tangible possibilities that seem like they could easily apply. However, you would think a pool of Apple fans could put in about as much mental effort imagining the best too. I suspect once they are actually revealed... once Apple tells the flock about the greatness of goggles... so many of these "I see no point", "99% don't need", etc, etc people will magically transform into "shut up and take my money" and "Apple does it again." See the infamous iPod launch thread where iPod was ripped in about every way possible. See the iPhone anticipation threads before it was revealed. iPad was "only a big iPod" and "$999 is completely insane for a big iPod".

To me, all these pre-launch threads look like those. We imagine the worst before it is revealed and then flip our very passionate opinions once it is released. I have to come back to a simple "reality": Apple has been working on these for 5+ years. Who knows how much money have been put into them? Can mighty Apple work on something for so long and roll out a useless product that nobody will want? While I can easily fault them for some of their product decision-making, I just don't believe they can get this as wrong as the cumulative opinions in threads like this one imply.

Stop it Hobe. You always do these massive paragraphs of science fictions and it is a time waste.

You even thought eGPU could exist ‘inside a Mac’ and someone had to explain to you that Thunderbolt PCIe bus isn’t an internal thing.

Please, sit back digest what people say and in a few years when you have more technical knowledge and understand user experiences better you will be ready to make these long posts.

 

[lovehateapple]

the only thing that could get me excited for this is some solid content creation tools. unreal/unity is not optimized for mac and the userbase won't be buying a mac just to publish on mac.

Maybe / Hopefully rOS will be compatible with / optimized for unreal and / or unity?

 

[Numbah One]

What about speech recognition? If I cannot tell it to do something and must "air type" it, then I'l wait for a version where that works reliably.

 

[_Spinn_]

This sounds very awkward.

 

[nghtstr77]

This is all I could think of when I heard this...

 

[spinedoc77]

Sorry but there is not one aspect of this headset that interests me. Not one. Each new leak does nothing to entice me to want this. If you are interested, enjoy, but I just have no desire to strap this to my head.

Even though they look like they would make great ski goggles?!? /s But seriously, I wish someone would make a better mock up, I'm having trouble imagining they are really going to use flouroelastamer straps. I'm also failing to see the market for this, especially at its price point.

 

[spinedoc77]

A supposedly multi-thousand dollar headset, and it's already underperforming to Apple's wishes in regards to graphics. Ouch.

And failing at text/data entry. If you have to use your iPhone's keyboard how exactly is that going to work? Are you going to have to put it in pass through mode to see your iPhone? I've already had enough experience with a Quest 2 to know that data entry is going to be a huge pain point.

 

[Jensend]

If y’all think typing in the air looks silly, you should see the people who talk to themselves! (While wearing Bluetooth headsets / AirPods, in case that wasn’t obvious)

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Sure is a ton of expectation management going on in the rumor mill. I have a feeling Siri and Dictation will be a primary input method, but this air typing gave me Newton flashbacks. Could potentially be a disaster. This is a product that needs a product guy at the helm of the company. I’ll get the popcorn ready

Yet the Newton turned out to have been an essential product that helped bring iPhones and iPads to the world. My expectation is that Apple's AR/VR headset will be a similarly excellent tech investment long term - - even though many folks today have vision limited to the simple VR others have done to date.

 

[3xBoom]

I hope it doesn't come with a Butterfly sticky keys effect!

 

[koelsh]

I hope it doesn't come with a Butterfly sticky keys effect!

This time with real butterflies!

 

[macfacts]

If you believe the hype about Apple's VR/AR headset, it's easy to put some money where your mouth is by buying apple stock, but if you believe v1 of these goggles will fail, you can't "short" Apple stock.