Apple’s mixed reality headsets could have Mac-level performance

Rumor mill: Apple’s long-awaited mixed reality headsets are still at least a year away, but more details have emerged about the mysterious device. The company will reportedly use custom silicon to make a standalone headset rather than a connected one, and this could pave the way for the creation of a separate ecosystem of applications and services in the future.

Apple’s augmented reality headsets are expected to go out of coverage sometime in 2022, though industry watchers are not on the same page when it comes to the launch window and the price tag, which could be in the same ballpark as devices like Magic Leap One and Microsoft HoloLens 2.

The hardware that will power the new device is also a mystery, with most reports suggesting that the Cupertino giant had to create several pieces of custom silicon to ensure that the headphones can also function independently from a Mac or iPhone at least. part of the time. . Some of these rumors have now been confirmed by renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who believes the device will likely launch in late 2022.

Kuo says the device will be powered by a chipset similar to the one SoC M1 that Apple integrated into the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 13, Mac mini, and iMac. This will be accompanied by a low end chipset which will handle all the data from the device’s sensor. Together, these chipsets will purportedly allow the device to work untethered, while previous reports disagreed on whether it could.

The headsets will also support virtual reality experiences and will therefore be equipped with two Micro OLED 4K displays manufactured by Sony. AR experiences will be enabled by 6 to 8 optical modules, compared to 3 that are required in an iPhone 13. In terms of connectivity, Kuo says that Apple will integrate Wi-Fi 6E technology in the headphones to guarantee a high width bandwidth and low interference with other devices.

Some speculate that Apple CEO Tim Cook wants to oversee the launch of one of the major new product category before he retires from his current position, and a mixed reality headset could be. Kuo says that Apple may be looking to gradually replace the iPhone with augmented reality headsets and glasses over the next ten years. Doing so could end up selling up to 1 billion units over the next decade.