Apple VR headset could be absolutely packed with cameras and sensors

Apple VR
(Image credit: Future)

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.

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, 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

Gerald Lynch

Gerald is Editor-in-Chief of iMore.com. Previously he was the Executive Editor for TechRadar, taking care of the site's home cinema, gaming, smart home, entertainment and audio output. He loves gaming, but don't expect him to play with you unless your console is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. Before TechRadar, Gerald was Editor of Gizmodo UK. He is also the author of 'Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future', published by Aurum Press.