'realityOS' Trademark Filing Hints at Possible WWDC Announcement [Updated]

[MacRumors]

Ahead of WWDC kicking off in a little over one week, interesting trademark filing details for "realityOS," the name for Apple's upcoming AR/VR headset operating system, have been resurfaced online, offering a clue as to what Apple may have in store to share at this year's conference.

The two separate trademark filings (1, 2) were resurfaced by Parker Ortolani on Twitter, who notes that while both were initially submitted on December 8, 2021, more interestingly, they're both listed with foreign filing date deadlines of June 8, 2022, just two days after Apple's main WWDC keynote. Another filing on the USPTO website lists a foreign filing date deadline of June 9, 2022.

The filings themselves are not labeled or marked as Apple trademarks, but several hints indicate the Cupertino tech giant owns them. The filings are under a company that goes by the name of "Realityo Systems LLC," and as noted by Parker, the corporate location used by this company is the same address Apple has used in past years to hold onto macOS California release names ahead of launch.

"realityOS" was accidentally referenced by Apple in App Store update logs earlier this year, confirming its existence in some capacity. rOS, short for realityOS, was first reported by Bloomberg in 2017 with the internal codename "Oak."

realityOS will first run on a high-end, niche AR/VR headset Apple is planning to announce this year or early next year, according to Bloomberg. Apple recently previewed its mixed reality headset to its board, implying that the product is nearing completion.

The headset will feature two 4K micro-OLED displays, 15 camera modules, powerful processors equivalent to the M-series chips, eye tracking capabilities, hand gesture support, spatial audio, and other features. When it launches, the headset is expected to cost somewhere around $3,000.

Rumors have been quiet on whether or not Apple plans to announce hardware at WWDC this year, but the dates of the trademark filings hint that Apple may have more to share about its vision for the future of AR/VR. For the first time since September 2019, Apple is also inviting select members of the press and has invited developers from the App Store community to attend a special event at Apple Park on June 6.

Update: Since this article was published, both Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman and a practicing lawyer have claimed that the trademark filing date deadlines are actually a legal requirement and that their closeness to WWDC is likely mere coincidence.

Article Link: 'realityOS' Trademark Filing Hints at Possible WWDC Announcement [Updated]

 

[NoelWalker]

Just like HomeOS, it won't be the real name. Probably just an internal name reference. realityOS is pretty difficult to pronounce. Even AROS or metaOS sounds better.

 

[dguisinger]

This is truely a product I don’t understand the market for. I feel like the two products they are chasing, a ar headset and a car…. Are just not game changers.


When the iPhone came out, it was similarly priced in comparison to other less usable smart phones, and had mass market potential… $3000 for AR goggles? Outside of people who use it for 3D creative work, who is this for?

I have trouble seeing these in the general population unless they reach under $500, and even then… I still don’t see the appeal of the meta verse

 

[Bug-Creator]

AROS

https://aros.sourceforge.io

just saying...

 

[Bug-Creator]

I feel like the two products they are chasing, a ar headset and a car…. Are just not game changers.

While cars are pretty much a done deal and will transform into robo taxis within a few decades noone yet knows how far AR can and will go.
Sure those current headsets or limited and cumbersome but that doesn't mean they can't morph into what is hinted in several SciFi shows. You may not like those ideas but if they can be done they will come and at that time a smartphone will be as outdated as a landline is today.

 

[SamRyouji]

Reality? That means, according to them I'm just living in a mere illusion of what is real, The Matrix

 

[Shalev Lazarof]

All this metaverse/VR stuff is scary for the human kind future, I think this device bares a curse we have yet realized, it looks nice but humans will be abused by others on those platforms eventually (take FB for example, started as a sharing platform and look what it became).

This days it's cringy AF out there with all the social media BS of TikTok mainly and all this NFT's CR*P... everyone is so narcissist into them selfs and thinks they are the center of the galaxy.

Apple will need all their core values breaking power on that one... a so STRICT rule system on that platform, to their developers and the app verification on the App Store, the responsibility is HUGE.

I honestly don't want to see that product go out.

 

[dguisinger]

While cars are pretty much a done deal and will transform into robo taxis within a few decades noone yet knows how far AR can and will go.
Sure those current headsets or limited and cumbersome but that doesn't mean they can't morph into what is hinted in several SciFi shows. You may not like those ideas but if they can be done they will come and at that time a smartphone will be as outdated as a landline is today.

I doubt it. I just don’t see people wanting to spend their life in a non-reality, it will get old quickly. Other than AR walking navigation in places you’ve never been, I don’t see use cases that make sense. And you thought people were paranoid about Google Glass having a camera in public, this thing sounds much worse. And no I don’t see headsets replacing smartphones for most people. I mean seriously, replace a small device with a large bulky device that always draws more energy and can only be used if you are wearing it on your head? No thanks

 

[joshuamj]

ironyOS ?

 

[Bug-Creator]

I just don’t see people wanting to spend their life in a non-reality, it will get old quickly.

Because thats all you can do with them today. How many people thought that having "the web" on your phone was a groundbreaking idea in the 90s?

And you thought people were paranoid about Google Glass having a camera in public,

How many of these were Instagram addicted (pre)teens? Cos those will be the ones buying the fully developed version of AR classes in 20 years.

 

[itsboi]

This is truely a product I don’t understand the market for. I feel like the two products they are chasing, a ar headset and a car…. Are just not game changers.


When the iPhone came out, it was similarly priced in comparison to other less usable smart phones, and had mass market potential… $3000 for AR goggles? Outside of people who use it for 3D creative work, who is this for?

I have trouble seeing these in the general population unless they reach under $500, and even then… I still don’t see the appeal of the meta verse

I have a feeling this post won't age well in 10 years.

 

[Realityck]

"realityOS" was accidentally referenced by Apple in App Store update logs earlier this year, confirming its existence in some capacity. rOS, short for realityOS, was first reported by Bloomberg in 2017 with the internal codename "Oak."

Yet another iOS based language per rumors, first called rOS in 2017. Hope it turns out well.

 

[travis64]

$3k lol

 

[bLackjackj]

$3k lol

What's so funny? The iPhone 13 Pro & Pro Max cost almost AU3k!

 

[No5tromo]

It's ironic how something purely fake is set to be marketed as "reality"

 

[arubinst]

I doubt it. I just don’t see people wanting to spend their life in a non-reality, it will get old quickly. Other than AR walking navigation in places you’ve never been, I don’t see use cases that make sense. And you thought people were paranoid about Google Glass having a camera in public, this thing sounds much worse. And no I don’t see headsets replacing smartphones for most people. I mean seriously, replace a small device with a large bulky device that always draws more energy and can only be used if you are wearing it on your head? No thanks

People already do spend a serious part of their lives on several different non-realities. Playing games in front of a computer monitor (or TV) or watching Netflix and other streaming services kind of fits the definition.

Having a wearable makes the experience more immersive. If well executed (light, confortable, good looking with good battery life), it may also allow for a portable much better experience than the one you currently get from your phone. Playing games and watching streaming on a tiny screen is no match to what you can do with good VR equipment. Its just more convenient because the thing fits in your pocket and people have become accustomed to the idea of having other people around staring at a small rectangle of metal and glass. Entertainment is already a huge market and it would justify the existence of such device on its own (granted, not for 3000$... although I might end up eating my words but I doubt it will cost that much).

But AR is even more interesting than VR, in my opinion. And it becomes more useful as it can integrate your regular life. As you said, navigation is one interesting application. How about cooking, where you have access to the recipe without touching a screen, even as you move around in your kitchen? How about working and having instant access to user manuals or technical specifications? How about buying a new appliance and knowing how to operate it, just by looking at it, where "bubbles" just float next to different buttons to let you know what they do. How about driving your car while having a virtual HUD showing you your speed and reminding you the speed limit in that particular road? How about turning sports into a game... you do not go out for a walk or a run... you're running for your life, avoiding zombies, if that's your kind of thing...

And yes, AR gaming might be the next great thing. A killer application. Everything, everywhere becomes a game. Some very clever people may turn these games into learning experiences for children, for example. They may learn geography like never before, looking at virtual representations of mountains and rivers that they cannot visit in real life. Remember what Pokémon Go did when it came out. It set a lot of people (and kids) in motion. You may say that it got old pretty quickly, but that was just one game (and not very interesting, by the way). We're talking about a platform here, that may allow you to turn your surroundings, any surroundings (!!!) into a game or an interactive learning experience. A good development framework (Apple style) and a powerful App Store would probably attract very talented developers with very interesting ideas.

But we will have to wait and see what Apple has to show (if they ever really unveil a product). I'm pretty excited about this whole thing because I have a VR headset (HP Reverb G2) and the experience is really amazing. But the thing is bulky and so uncomfortable with all the cables around. Image quality is good, not great and if you move your eyes a bit from the center of the image, everything looks blurry...

I just don't think technology is quite there yet. I would really like to be proven wrong. Apple usually come late to the party but they end up doing things much better than the rest and showing the way.

 

[RolandLondon]

One use I can see is in architectural and construction work. Coordinating all the different elements into a building from pipes through to technology has always been a pain. A system called 'BIM' has been around for years attempting to do this but hasn't properly taken off because there hasn't been a means to get all the different stakeholders be involved. Its possible that a RealityOS could give BIM the shot in the arm it needs. Every trade working on a project could do a virtual visit to the building and place their items in situ. People involved with construction have money to pay for this and if there is a unified platform that removes the need for countless drawing reviews, then this is a game changer. Not the most exciting use of VR but the time and cost saving potential is simply enormous.

 

[citysnaps]

I doubt it. I just don’t see people wanting to spend their life in a non-reality, it will get old quickly. Other than AR walking navigation in places you’ve never been, I don’t see use cases that make sense. And you thought people were paranoid about Google Glass having a camera in public, this thing sounds much worse. And no I don’t see headsets replacing smartphones for most people. I mean seriously, replace a small device with a large bulky device that always draws more energy and can only be used if you are wearing it on your head? No thanks

They won't. AR is a tool to help solve problems or complete complicated tasks - such as doctors using AR-assisted surgery on heart patients, which is being used today. Just as *one* example.

It's not a place to spend one's life.

 

[Ledgem]

This is truely a product I don’t understand the market for. I feel like the two products they are chasing, a ar headset and a car…. Are just not game changers.


When the iPhone came out, it was similarly priced in comparison to other less usable smart phones, and had mass market potential… $3000 for AR goggles? Outside of people who use it for 3D creative work, who is this for?

Given your statement, I'm guessing you're not in product development. But don't feel badly - neither am I, and it's for this reason. Your post is a bit rosier than reality: when the iPhone was first announced, I (and many other technology enthusiasts) thought it was a mistake. The phone market was already crowded, and we already had smartphones for those who really wanted to fiddle with things. Who would care about a premium-level smartphone from an unproven phone maker, and in the candy bar form factor without any physical keyboard, at that? Apple should just stick to iPods instead of adding a cellular modem into them, we said. Yet even then, the first-generation iPhone made the best smartphones of the time appear primitive.

AR/VR has immense potential. It's currently niche and limited largely to those who are really driven to use it and fiddle with things. Sound familiar? I'm not going to predict an immediate hit for Apple, but if there's any company that can pull this off and make it seem like this was the obvious way to do it all along, it's Apple.

 

[NotTooLate]

I doubt it. I just don’t see people wanting to spend their life in a non-reality, it will get old quickly. Other than AR walking navigation in places you’ve never been, I don’t see use cases that make sense. And you thought people were paranoid about Google Glass having a camera in public, this thing sounds much worse. And no I don’t see headsets replacing smartphones for most people. I mean seriously, replace a small device with a large bulky device that always draws more energy and can only be used if you are wearing it on your head? No thanks

Ppl already doing it as much as I hate to admit it, being addicted to gaming, streaming , social media , texting , browsing the web , forums , we are already there , I am in a generation that still play the piano , go out swimming , meditate , play poker , go out tracking , next gen will do it all virtually (hopefully sport will still be a thing for them) , I already can see my kids drawn to a monitor way more then just go outside and climb trees , its my fault as well , but society and tech cannot be separated anymore , and its a futile fight to fight , I just try to limit and discuss it with them as much as I can without making them alienated from their friends or causing too much grief that will make them bitter and resentful against their old dad who seems to no understand anything anymore .

Tech will improve , the size , the ergonomic, the power consumption , the battery tech , all of it would be better , if I give you the first iPhone to use today you will throw it out of the window knowing what we have today.

Something will replace the smartphone , ppl are just not creative enough to know what that will be , it could be this , or something else , but something will.

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

This is truely a product I don’t understand the market for. I feel like the two products they are chasing, a ar headset and a car…. Are just not game changers.


When the iPhone came out, it was similarly priced in comparison to other less usable smart phones, and had mass market potential… $3000 for AR goggles? Outside of people who use it for 3D creative work, who is this for?

I have trouble seeing these in the general population unless they reach under $500, and even then… I still don’t see the appeal of the meta verse

Go back to archives and see commenters say the EXACT same thing about the iPhone before it’s release.

 

[Will Co]

New toys!

 

[madebybela]

I couldn't give two bleeps about VR/AR/Metaverse/etc. but kids growing up on Roblox/VRChat/etc. are living a completely different world than most of us are aware of. One that I don't even think the people at Apple, Facebook or any of these "web3" chumps can fully understand.

 

[Leon Ze Professional]

This is truely a product I don’t understand the market for. I feel like the two products they are chasing, a ar headset and a car…. Are just not game changers.


When the iPhone came out, it was similarly priced in comparison to other less usable smart phones, and had mass market potential… $3000 for AR goggles? Outside of people who use it for 3D creative work, who is this for?

I have trouble seeing these in the general population unless they reach under $500, and even then… I still don’t see the appeal of the meta verse

Agreed, at $3000.00 US there are lots of other Apple products I prefer to get than this.

 

[Abazigal]

I doubt it. I just don’t see people wanting to spend their life in a non-reality, it will get old quickly. Other than AR walking navigation in places you’ve never been, I don’t see use cases that make sense. And you thought people were paranoid about Google Glass having a camera in public, this thing sounds much worse. And no I don’t see headsets replacing smartphones for most people. I mean seriously, replace a small device with a large bulky device that always draws more energy and can only be used if you are wearing it on your head? No thanks

I see it useful for consuming experiences that were previously inaccessible for one reason or another.

For example, I find myself going to cinemas way less of late because I can eventually catch them on video streaming services, and it lets me do away with the less convenient aspects of visiting one (eg: having to travel to the theatre, no toilet breaks, can't watch at a timing of my preference). I agree there is no replacement for a giant move screen, but I haven't really enjoyed the rest. Merely tolerated them.

Think about how a AR / VR headset could allow users to attend a live concert or sports game from the comfort of their own home. I could in theory watch a BTS concert or a soccer match live without needing to travel to another country or fight with ardent fans for limited tickets (the majority of which just end up being scooped up by scalpers). You are no longer confined by physical limitations like seating capacity.

In addition, I suspect that the smartphone won't be replaced by any one device, but I feel that Apple at least is laying the groundwork to expand on it via its line of wearables (currently Apple Watch, AirPods and the rumoured AR glasses).

The Apple Watch places Siri and a small screen on your wrist that you can use for quick glances of information. AirPods places Siri next to your ears, and may gain additional health-tracking feature in the future. The AR glasses would give users a field of view as large as their eyes can see (which would be bigger than even the largest folding phone), and allow them to partake in AR experiences without having to continually hold up their mobile device. None of these devices replaces the smartphone, but they augment the experience in their own unique ways.

This is also why I am not really concerned about Apple not having a folding phone. The extra screen space provided by them will pale in comparison to even the largest tablet in the market.