At Apple, Rare Dissent Over a New Product: Interactive Goggles
Apple executives were given a sneak peek at the company’s new augmented reality headset last week, according to a new report. The Cupertino, Calif.-based tech giant is said to have demoed the device to a select group of executives in the Steve Jobs Theater, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Debby Wu report.
The headset is still in the early stages of development and is not expected to be released until 2022 at the earliest. But it is already shaping up to be one of Apple’s most ambitious products ever, with the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology.
The Bloomberg report provides the clearest picture yet of what Apple’s AR headset will be like. Here are the key details:
The headset will be powered by Apple’s new processor, the A14X, which is specifically designed for augmented reality. It will be able to connect to Apple’s other devices wirelessly, using the company’s new “rOS” operating system.
The headset will have two 8K display screens, one for each eye. It will also feature eye-tracking and hand-tracking technology, allowing users to interact with virtual objects in a natural way.
The headset will be self-contained, with its own built-in storage, processor, and battery. It will be able to run for about three hours on a single charge.
Apple is said to be working on two versions of the headset: a lighter, “consumer-grade” version, and a heavier, “pro-grade” version for developers and other professionals.
The headset will be priced at around $3,000, making it one of the most expensive consumer electronics products on the market.
Apple is said to be working on a number of AR applications for the headset, including a virtual meeting app, a 3D mapping app, and a gaming app. The company is also said to be working on a new AR version of its popular messaging app, iMessage.
The Bloomberg report comes on the heels of a report from The New York Times, which said that some Apple employees are skeptical of the AR headset, dubbing it a “solution in search of a problem.”
It remains to be seen whether the AR headset will be a hit with consumers. But there is no doubt that it is a ambitious product that has the potential to change the way we interact with technology.
