Apple’s powerful MR headset
Dual-chip set-up, three lenses and more rumours
Much like Steve Jobs, Tim Cook loves unveiling “one more thing” that he claims will turn the tech world upside down. Listening to the chatter in the rumour mill, it sounds like Apple’s next big project is a mixed reality (MR) headset – and there’s been a flurry of interesting news surrounding it in recent weeks.
Let’s start off with what we know already. Previously, various leaks and rumours have fleshed out what we can expect. That includes a lightweight design that doesn’t strain your neck, high-resolution 8K displays for each eye, and at least a dozen camera sensors. As well as that, it’s expected to blend augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) so that you can switch between them at will. That last point is important for a new rumour concerning the headset. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has stated that Apple does not want the product to be an “all-day device” where you shut yourself off in a virtual world. Instead, the idea is you will be encouraged to use it for “bursts of gaming, communication, and content consumption.”
That mirrors something Tim Cook explained back in 2016. In an interview with Good Morning America, Cook said he preferred AR over VR “because this gives the capability for both of us to sit and be very present, talking to each other, but also have other things for both of us to see.” That gives substance to Gurman’s claims and gives an idea of what we can expect.
A powerful dual-chip setup
In order to power convincing MR experiences, Apple’s headset is going to need some serious firepower in the chip department. Luckily, the company seems to be going all-in on this, at least according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo’s supply chain sources have indicated that Apple’s headset will use the same 96W charger as the 14-inch MacBook Pro, meaning it could be just as powerful. The MacBook Pro can be kitted out with either an M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, two of the beefiest chips Apple has ever made.
Kuo also believes the headset will use two chips instead of one, something he previously asserted in November 2021. One chip will be made with a 4nm process and another with a 5nm process, with the
higher-end chip handling the main computing tasks and the lower-end version managing the headset’s sensors.
Three displays?
That’s not all. Industry analysts Display Supply Chain Consultants issued a report in early 2022 giving more details on the displays Apple could use in the headset. This report explained Apple would include three displays: one for each eye, then a third to cover your peripheral vision. The two main displays will use microLED tech and potentially offer a 4,000x4,000-pixel resolution. The third would be an AMOLED panel with a lower resolution. Apple’s MR headset has been the subject of somewhat contradictory rumours in recent months. The price has been estimated at anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, for example, so there’s a lot to be ironed out. That means there’s no guarantee any of the latest news will come to fruition.
But we might not have long to find out, since Kuo, analysts at Morgan Stanley, and news outlet The Information all say the headset could launch this year. Gurman, on the other hand, says it could be more like 2023. Regardless, if the rumours are on the money, it could prove to be Apple’s next big thing.