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In a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, we’ve learned more about the upcoming Apple Reality Pro headset and its capabilities. According to people familiar with the product, the device’s eye- and hand-tracking capabilities will be a major selling point. The Reality Pro is expected to cost around $3,000, which is rough twice the price of rival devices.
One of the key features of the Reality Pro is its advanced FaceTime-based videoconferencing and meeting rooms. The headset will also have several external cameras that can analyze a user’s hands, as well as sensors within the device to read eyes. This allows the wearer to control the device by looking at an on-screen item, such as a button or app icon, to select it.
The Reality Pro will also have immersive, VR-based FaceTime integration that can be expected to realistically render the user’s whole face and body. However, due to the high-resolution nature of these avatars, realistic avatars will only be available in one-on-one video chatting.
Gurman notes that the Reality Pro is expected to be revealed and go on sale later this year. However, plans could shift as they have in the past. Additionally, a second generation of the Reality Pro is already in development and expected to be released in 2024 for a rumored $1,500, half the price of its predecessor.
While we haven’t received much information regarding the gaming experience on the Reality Pro, Gurman’s report notes that gaming is looking to be a popular offering featuring third-party titles with a custom Apple-designed engine. Powered by a version of an M2 chip with some extra goodies thrown in for VR processing, the Reality Pro should offer a decent gaming experience at worst.