If the latest rumors are to be believed, the launch of the Apple Vision Pro headset may be just weeks away, but a few new details about the external display may have been leaked via an Apple patent.
According to the document (first reported by Clearly apple), the headset's external display will not only be able to enable EyeSight – which lets onlookers see the wearer's eyes in a rather creepy way – but also display a much wider range of images.
So far, Apple has only shown two things on the Vision Pro's external screen: the wearer's eyes when they are in mixed reality, and a colorful pattern when they are fully immersed in virtual reality. But using the display to show a wider mix of icons makes sense and would be useful.
For example, a flashing “do not disturb” sign can alert those around you that you are in an important virtual meeting or trying to concentrate on something, while displaying a virtual scene on the remote display can alert those around you would give you an idea of what you are looking at.
The patent also reveals alternatives to Apple's realistic EyeSight feature. Instead of showing a photorealistic image, the wearer's eyes could be rendered as digital dots and lines, in the style of an expressive robot – still a bit creepy, but perhaps not so weird in practice.
Other examples in the patent document, such as the clock or current weather conditions, are not very useful when you are wearing the headset, but can be useful when you are not. While the Vision Pro is charging on your desk, the external display can be set to show you useful information, such as what's on your calendar that day, or simply the headset's charge.
As with all tech patents, there's no guarantee we'll ever see these features in action, and even if they make their way to the Vision Pro, they might not be ready at launch or for a while afterward. Until the headset is in people's hands, we won't know what it is or isn't capable of.
However, if Apple is indeed close to launching the headset, it won't be long before all our Vision Pro questions are finally answered.