Apple AR/VR Headsets Seem Promising, But They Need to Solve These Three Tricky Problems
Okay for once I am writing about a worthy rival and a potential ally.
If you had read my previous articles bitching about Meta, here and here, you might start doubting my objectivity as a metaverse expert by now and worse, thinking that this blog is simply a platform to shill STEPVR and put down other brands in the space.
That could not be further from the truth.
I do not think that any single person or any single company can manifest the metaverse. I do think that we need a concerted effort between different engineers, providers, teams and companies. I am happy to be an ardent, honest and critical observer of the space, to criticise where criticism is due but also to praise where praise is due.
So without further ado, let’s move on to Apple.
On June 21 this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with China Daily USA to urge the public to “stay tuned” to what Apple has to offer on the metaverse hardware front.
Their long awaited AR/VR headset might arrive as early as 2023. Two days after their keynote talk at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), a Vox journalist Parker Ortolani spotted the filing of the RealityOS trademark all over the world.
Applications for the names “Reality One”, “Reality Pro” and “Reality Processor” were made in the US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica and Uruguay. Rumours have been circulating that Apple was the parent company behind these trademarks, and that these new companies are going to focus on their AR and VR inventions.
In a Medium post analysing the mixed reality headset market, tech blogger Ming-Chi Kuo describes Apple as "a game-changer for the headset industry.” He predicts that their first headset will set a standard for a new wave of products from other industry players, and boost demand for associated AR games and apps.
Credit : Apple
What is Apple’s AR/VR Reality OS headset going to look like? Will there be any revolutionary functions for interactivity? According to gathered information, this device will be equipped with two 4K OLED displays, 15 camera modules, and an M2 processor. It will support eye tracking functions, gestures, spatial audio, and so on. The pricing is expected to be about $2500 to $3000. The main feature of the Apple headset is mixed reality instead of purely virtual reality.
According to Mark Gurman, a tech reporter with Bloomberg, the Apple headset will be designed for short trips into VR, rather than opening a portal to the metaverse like STEVR’s ambition. In fact Apple is said to have declared that metaverse is "off limits". Users will be able to use the mixed reality headset for communication, content viewing and gaming, but it won't be a device you wear all day, or as a replacement for real life.
I must say that Apple’s actions are clearer, more realistic and achievable than Meta’s actions so far. Instead of trying to revolutionize its business model completely and brand itself as “a metaverse company”, Apple is more realistic in coming up with a hardware that is more of an offshoot of its suit of iOS products. Hence it will be a gentler transition for Apple rather than a complete 180–degree-turn of business.
Based on their track record as the most successful tech hardware manufacturer on the planet, I do not doubt Apple’s ability to innovate in the mixed reality realm, and I look forward to seeing Apple making breakthroughs in the following three directions.
First is the tricky problem of weight, battery, and heat generation. Using an M2 processor will provide enough computing power to offer 4K OLED displays, with both sides of vision being 8K. However, if a user plays for 1–2 hours consecutively, the battery capacity must be at least 10000mAh to support 8K rendering. This is equivalent to the weight of 300g rechargeable batteries on the market, meaning that the weight of the headset will be higher than 400g. If the user wears it for a period of time, this hefty weight will give a lot of head pressure and cause discomfort. In addition, heat generation is one of Apple’s most difficult problems. With the added 8K rendering, the fan will need to spin rapidly to cool down the heat, which will result in added noise and discomfort for users.
Second, is the problem of spatial dimension and awareness. Can Apple AR/VR headset users cover unlimited distances in the metaverse and have a perfect spatial awareness? Can Apple AR/VR headset rely on Video See-Through technology, instant positioning, and SLAM technology to enable a new way to play games such as Counter Strike, PUBG and other major games that require a lot of mobility? The kind of VR games being played so far are mostly restricted games such as Beat Saber where players only need to stand still. In this regard, Meta Quest has done almost nothing to tackle spatial challenges, so I am still waiting for Apple to surprise me.
Third, the scaling of Apple’s AR/VR headset will determine its course of development. With the M2 chip and 8K display, I estimated $1,500 may be a floor price to generate a healthy profit, but the media revealed that Apple’s product is estimated to be $3,000, a price steep enough that may keep many customers out of the door. The initial adopters will have to take a lot of risks betting on this product.
An important point to note is this : as a pioneering tech giant, if Apple fails to deliver on its hardware promises, they will also affect others in the ecosystem negatively, such as the content developers, and in turn may hinder the growth of a healthy economic cycle in this industry.
There is no way to predict or to guarantee what will happen next, but my gut is telling me that if any company besides STEP VR can come up with a mixed reality headset that will become an industry standard, just like the iPhone, that company is Apple.
Hence, I keep my eyes peeled on Apple’s latest moves and product launches.