According to a new report, Apple has completed important production testing for its augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headset.
Citing information from the headset's suppliers, the device has reportedly completed the second phase of engineering validation testing (EVT 2) to ensure that the prototypes meet Apple's design goals and specifications. DigiTimes added added that the headset is expected to be released in late 2022. While Apple's headset was originally thought to launch later this year, a recent report by Mark Gurman (Bloomberg) cast doubt on whether the device will be released this year due to development issues. Nonetheless, Apple's headset project is said to be "close to launch," with the device mirroring the Apple Watch's development timeline in the period leading up to its launch. Rumors of Apple's work on the headset's operating system, realityOS, have been around since 2017.
Apple AR/VR headset could offer eye tracking, hand gesture control and more
But the existence of the operating system was recently confirmed, as references to it were found in the App Store upload logs and Apple's open source code. DigiTimes' latest report is another sign that Apple's headset is inching ever closer to mass production, even if the timeframe for the device's announcement now seems vaguely somewhere in 2022 or 2023. The headset is rumored to feature a lightweight design, dual 4K micro-LED displays, 15 optical modules, dual main processors, WiFi 6E connectivity, eye tracking, a transparent AR mode, object tracking, hand gesture control, and more. The exact price of the device is still unclear, but some reports suggest that it could cost around $3,000. (Image: Rendersbyjan)
