Rumours are heating up for the Oculus Quest and PS VR2 rival.
Rumours about Apple's VR offering (tentatively dubbed Apple Glass) have been circulating for a long while now, but the mythical product is yet to make an appearance. We recently got the biggest hint yet that Apple AR is on the way (from CEO Tim Cook, no less), which, in combination with a host of other tidbits, give us more hope than ever we'll see Apple Glass soon.
While a previous round of rumours suggested that the headset is set to enter mass production in the second half of 2022 with a launch before the end of the year, the newest info says we'll have to wait a bit longer – until 2024, in fact. If true, the PS VR2 and Oculus Quest's newest rival could be in prototype at the end of this year. (Don't fancy waiting? Check out the best Oculus Quest 2 deals available now.)
A fan-made render of Apple's rumoured VR headset (Image credit: Ian Zelbo/Future owns)
We've been predicting for years that VR is "just about" to hit the mainstream, but up until now there's been no direct reference from Apple to an actual project happening inside Apple's secret labs. But Tim Cook recently teased China Daily with the juicy nugget: "stay tuned and you will see what we have to offer" – a direct reference from the man the most in the know. Added to that, tech Analyst Jeff Pu has said the new tech is at the 'design development stage'. You can find out even more here.
It's a big year for VR. Not only was the PS VR2 finally revealed in April, but the Oculus (sorry, Meta) Quest 2 had its most successful Christmas ever in 2021. And one thing's for sure – if Apple gets involved, VR is only going to get bigger. Seeing as the Apple Watch is now the biggest selling watch in the world, we know that Apple has form when it comes to dominating a new area.
The PS VR2 was announced this week (Image credit: Sony)
But perhaps the most exciting thing about the rumoured headset is that it represents Apple's first actually new product in years. Sure, we get updated iPhones, Macs, iPads and more like clockwork every year, but these have become decidedly iterative – even Tesla says Apple launches are hard to get excited about these days. It's about time Apple gave us a 'one more thing' – a product that could shake up the industry as much as the Apple Watch or, dare we say it, the original iPhone.
VR seems to be kicking off this year (Image credit: Meta)
So what do we know about the headset? Bloomberg says the device will be similar in size to the Quest 2, and will be able to track hand movements for features such as a virtual keyboard. The headset is reported to feature a fabric exterior (perhaps similar to the AirPods Max?), and, rather unusually for Apple, a built-in fan.
But perhaps the most impressive details are regarding the internals. Apple is allegedly testing “some of its most advanced and powerful chips," including some that eclipse even the incredible M1 chip. According to Pu's report (seen by 9to5Mac), it'll be 100 per cent AR and will include waveguide technology. While we're unsure exactly how Apple intends the device to be used, if it packs an even better chip than its high-end laptops, could the company be intending this new creation to become our primary device?
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Time will tell whether the Apple VR headset will finally become a reality in 2022. In the meantime, check out our roundup of the best Apple deals, and take a look at today's best Oculus Quest deals below.
Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
