It's long been rumored, but a wave of fresh speculation suggests thee long-in-development Apple VR headset could soon be released – and a new report points to it being a particularly feature-rich device.
Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has previously pointed towards a $1,000 price tag and a mid-2021 release date, has received information that hints at as many as 15 cameras being built into the Apple VR headset for tracking. Eight camera modules will be used "to provide image-transmissive AR experience", six for "innovative biometrics" and the final one to scan the environment around the headset.
Kuo's information appears to come from supply chain movements he's noticed around Apple supplier Largan, who will be contributing to the manufacturing of the device.
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A VR picture is forming
With its rumored price tag and premium microLED displays being touted, the make up of the Apple VR headset is starting to come into focus, one that continues in the company's tradition of making high-end consumer devices.
It's an apparent stance that is the exact opposite of that being posed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's Oculus family of virtual reality devices. In an interview with The Information (opens in new tab), he stated that “Unlike some of the other companies in the space that basically charge premium prices as their business model, one of our core principles is we want to serve everyone. I’m very focused not only on how you can create a good VR and AR device, but how do you make it so it’s $300 instead of $1,000.”
That seems like a less-than-veiled swipe at Apple's plans here. And so the landscape for the next generation of virtual reality headsets seems to be forming – an ultra-premium approach from Apple, and an accessible, affordable one from Oculus with any Oculus Quest 3.
Via iMore (opens in new tab)
