Apple is purportedly wasting zero time jumping back into in-person gatherings.
According to Bloomberg, the company is planning to announce its highly anticipated mixed-reality headset within “the next several months” at an event that will presumably be open to select media and industry partners.
The news comes only a day after Apple confirmed its Worldwide Developer Conference would be held virtually this summer for the second year in a row. But while the tech giant is clearly content with unveiling its updated operating systems via livestream, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman stresses that the same approach won’t fly for its headset.
“Sometime in the next several months, the company is poised to announce a mixed reality headset, its first major new device since 2015. If possible, Apple won’t want to make such a critical announcement at an online event. It wants employees, the media, its partners and developers in the room.”
Considering the best (and really only) way to experience mixed-reality is by physically donning a headset, demoing this new Apple device during a livestream just wouldn’t do it justice. So it makes sense that Apple would want to go all in for this one — even with the ongoing pandemic.
What can we expect from this headset?
Rumors point to dual-curved 8K displays with swappable visors and over a dozen external cameras to track hand movements. It’s also said to include technology that allows for both augmented and virtual reality experiences (hence the “mixed reality” label).
According to MacRumors, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims it’s also going to be portable, meaning users won’t have to contend with messy wires. With its own onboard computing power and storage, the experience would be similar to Facebook’s standalone Oculus Quest 2 — no tethering to a PC or laptop required.
But don’t get too excited about acquiring one of Apple’s MX headsets anytime soon. Kuo predicts it won’t be available until 2022.
It’s highly possible that Apple’s rumored in-person event might just be held to show off its MX prototype. Still, knowing people from all over the world could be visiting Apple Park to check this thing out during a pandemic…
Well, let’s just say that device better be more than a proof of concept.
