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To date, Apple has kept quiet about its upcoming AR/VR headset, but the leaks continue to appear online — including a new one about the device that uses iris scanning to verify users’ identities.
This comes from The Information (opens in new tab)stating that users can scan through their eyes, verify payments, and log into various digital accounts (much like you could use Face ID or Touch ID on an iPhone).
Of course, typing a password into a virtual reality helmet isn’t particularly easy, so it makes sense that such technology would be deployed. It also means that it is easy for different people to use the same headset.
Tracking and Materials
This isn’t the first time this particular rumor has surfaced, by the way – and it’s worth bearing in mind that Apple acquired a company specializing in eye-tracking technology way back in 2017.
Other tidbits from the article: The headset will offer full-body tracking by pointing some of its cameras at your legs, and it’ll be lighter than the recently unveiled Meta Quest Pro, which tips the scales at 722 grams.
Finally, the device is said to consist of a combination of fabric, aluminum and glass, for a premium feel – just what you’d expect from Apple. Most rumors point to a 2023 release for whatever it is Apple is building.
Analysis: what we know so far
Nothing is official yet – as you’d expect from Apple – but it now seems very likely that Apple is working on a headset that combines virtual reality and augmented reality in one device (“mixed reality” is a term some people use in this case). ).
This device is thought to be separate from the lighter Apple Glasses, which are said to target augmented reality. At this stage, it looks like this product is even further away than 2023, although it’s hard to know for sure.
We think the device will be powered by an Apple-made chipset – possibly the M2 – and is said to have two 8K displays inside. There would be at least a dozen cameras mounted on the headset to track where you are in a room.
The projected cost of all this is expected to be $3,000 / £2,685 / AU$4,835, and as we mentioned, it’s thought to launch in 2023. You can expect the usual abundance of hype in the promotional material that Apple is putting together for the headset.