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Apple is reportedly working on developing apps for nearly all its offerings on the iPhone, in preparation for the launch of its rumored mixed-reality headset at WWDC 2023. The headset is anticipated to be a major focus of the conference, offering Apple users a combination of augmented and virtual reality experiences.
Sources suggest that Apple is in the final stages of preparation for the device, with a range of apps in development, including sports services, new versions of the iPad’s current capabilities, gaming, fitness, and collaboration tools. The company is expected to adopt iPad apps for the headset, which will provide millions of existing apps through a new 3D interface.
Apple is also working on optimized versions of Safari, Apple News, Apple Music, Stocks, Weather, Mail, and more, in addition to developing a headset-compatible version of Apple Books. Users will also be able to snap pictures via the headgear with the camera app and enjoy a wellness app that will offer peaceful pictures, noises, and voice-overs, much like the Mindfulness app on the Apple Watch.
The headset will also feature the Fitness+ service and the Freeform collaboration app, which will allow users to work on virtual whiteboards together in mixed reality. FaceTime may also feature prominently, with 3D versions of users being generated in virtual meeting rooms. The device will also offer a more immersive sports viewing experience.
A significant product component will be the dial that allows users to choose between virtual and augmented reality, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch. Users will be immersed in their apps when using virtual reality, while augmented reality will allow them to experience the real world around them, similar to ARKit experiences on iPhones and iPads.
The headset will be controlled with the user’s hands and eyes, allowing them to pick things and navigate menus by squeezing their fingers and detecting where they are looking. It will also feature an in-air virtual keyboard that can be connected to a physical keyboard, as well as voice control through Siri.
The rumored mixed-reality headset is expected to be priced at around $3,000 for the first version and will be similar in design and size to ski goggles. Each eye will reportedly have a 4K OLED display, with an outside panel displaying the user’s facial emotions for the headset.
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Some Apple staff are reportedly worried about the device’s potential success, with some employees allegedly defecting from the project due to their doubts, while others may have been fired for failing to make sufficient progress on certain features, such as using Siri.
Apple executives have also reportedly questioned the headset’s potential for strong sales, given the battery’s design difficulties and the estimated $3,000 price tag. Despite these concerns, the headset may appear during WWDC 2023, with rumors suggesting that the conference may be scaled back due to production delays.
