Every few years, an Apple product that is not confirmed by the company generates rumors and speculation until it cannot be avoided.
The iPad had it when it was said to be iSlate in 2009, while the Apple Watch was considered a next-generation iPod nano around 2013. Apple's headset that will introduce virtual reality and augmented reality to its customers is the latest. These rumors about what could be the next Apple launch.
Virtual and augmented reality have seen great improvements in recent years, with companies like Oculus and Valve perfecting the experience and offering showcases where you can play a variety of virtual reality games.
But Apple has the opportunity to redesign its ecosystem to accommodate virtual reality and augmented reality in interesting ways that have never been tried before.
An iTrooper VR
It's unclear if these so-called headsets will have AR or VR functions, or if there are two headsets that will respond to each. But Apple has a way of adapting its apps to other devices without compromising functionality, while also making them unique to the device in question.
Since many operating systems end in "OS," we suspect that rOS, to represent reality, might be a good candidate for the software the headset will run on, since it works for both VR and VR.
In previous years, Apple laid the groundwork for what's to come, like the iPhone for iPad or the 3D Touch that appears on the Apple Watch and then sees it make its debut on the iPhone. With that in mind, Siri could be a great clue as to what you're planning for the headphones.
Earlier this month, an Apple Music Voice plan was released where you can control your music through Siri only for € 4.99 / € 4.99 / AU € 4.99 per month.
This plan could be perfect for headphones, as you don't need to use anything tangible to navigate your music, just through Siri. Browsing the App Store or choosing another app to use via Siri could be an intuitive way to use the headphones without having to use controllers similar to Meta Quest 2.
Spatial Audio, an Apple Music feature again where you can turn your head and the sound will sound like it's coming from a specific location, could work well for headphones too.
But when it comes to gaming, this is where controllers would be a must-have and an inspiration for developers.
A virtual reality app store
VR apps are only beginning to move away from offering short experiences like Beat Saber, to communication and accessibility like what META advertises for metaverse and avatars. Watching FaceTime VR or AppleTV + VR is a delightful idea, but developers could turn the apps they already have available into a native VR headset app.
Apps like CARROT and TikTok could benefit from what the headphones offer, especially if the widgets make their debut as well.
What about RA?
Then there is the RA aspect. Augmented reality allows you to have certain digital information on a normal lens. Imagine a pair of glasses that has a lens section where it displays live information, such as a widget or push notifications.
This is something that we are already seeing in some applications, especially in the Measure application. Others, like IKEA, may allow you to place furniture in the iPhone's camera viewer to see if it matches your room.
There is no reason this headset can have both when switching modes. Seeing live widgets in the corner of a lens while walking around your house is a tempting prospect, as it saves you from checking your phone from your pocket or looking at your Apple Watch.
WWDC in 2022 could show what developers could do with headphones, and with Apple's silicon chips showing the power they can achieve with much less power consumption than an Intel and AMD processor, we could see that top-notch headphones generation offer impressive battery life for an app store that could show what AR and VR could do in the Apple ecosystem.