Apple's VR/AR headset is expected to launch with a ton of apps
Fitness, TV, productivity tools and gaming will all feature in the headset
Apple is still expected to reveal its much-anticipated VR/AR headset at this year’s WWDC in June, although now we’ve got an inkling of what we’ll be able to do with the device.
A fresh report from Bloomberg outlines some of the apps Apple has been preparing to roll out for the headset’s launch. The device – rumored to be called Reality or Reality Pro – will reportedly release alongside gaming, fitness and collaboration tools, as well as mixed-reality versions of many popular iPad and iPhone apps.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Apple’s VR-AR headset
🥽 Apple’s long-rumored mixed-reality headset will launch with a ton of apps
🌟 Productivity, fitness, TV and collaboration tools will all appear
🕹 And gaming might play a bigger part than previously rumored
👀 Apple’s expected to reveal the device this June
Many of the stock Apple apps, such as Safari, FaceTime, Apple TV, as well as more basic services like calendars, maps and notes, will be adapted for the headset. They’ll look and function broadly like their non-VR versions.
Following the introduction of AI narrators, Apple Books will also be made compatible with the headset to let users read in virtual reality. Bloomberg says a wellness app has also been developed to guide users through meditation, and a VR version of Apple’s Fitness+ exercise app will guide you through a session as you watch a VR instructor.
Given the device is pitched as a commercial as well as a consumer headset – with a price tag to match – several productivity tools will also be available. A VR port of Apple’s Freeform app will let you write on whiteboards and collaborate with other users in mixed reality, while a 3D version of FaceTime allows you to sit in virtual meeting rooms. We’ve already heard that Apple is developing its version of the metaverse, but the company’s idea of virtual social spaces appears to prioritize realistic avatars and will likely include AR elements.
Bloomberg says immersive video, particularly watching major league sports in VR, will be a big selling point for the device, and gaming is taking a bigger focus than previously thought. Apple hired more game developers to work on its mixed-reality headset last year, though we’re yet to see what they’ve been cooking.
It’ll have tough competition in that department. The Meta Quest 2 already has a bulging selection of games, many of which will likely carry over to the upcoming Meta Quest 3, and the PSVR 2 games library boasts a couple of heavyweight PlayStation-exclusive titles.
Apple may well be banking on top-of-the-line hardware to persuade potential buyers. Ditching the traditional controllers used by other headsets, Apple’s device will be operated using hand gestures and eye tracking: users will be able to squeeze their thumb and forefinger together to make a selection in a menu. It’s that kind of next-gen feature that will really impress Apple diehards and casual techies alike.