Apple’s WWDC invite list hints that its mixed reality AR/VR headset will be introduced on June 5th
First, let’s take a step back and discuss the difference between the two realities. Virtual reality (VR) takes the user to an immersive environment that is supposed to make the user feel as though he is in the batter’s box at Yankee Stadium trying to hit a World Series-winning home run. A special feature is supposed to allow those in a FaceTime group video conference to feel as though are in a room with realistic avatars of everyone involved in the group video chat.
The Reality Pro will reportedly be powered by the 5nm M2 chipset
Augmented reality (AR) layers computer-generated data on top of a real-world feed. Think Pokemon Go or Google Maps’ Live View. The latter helps those walking in certain cities get from point “A” to point “B” by placing large directional arrows over a real-world feed of the city right in front of the user.
TF International’s Kuo expects 500,000 units to ship
The headset will run xrOS and it should support many iPad apps. A 5nm M2 chip is supposedly powering the headset which is rumored to include a pair of 4K micro-LED displays, one for each eye. A waist-worn battery will deliver up to two hours of usage before requiring a change or charge.
While the headset is expected to be introduced at WWDC, it probably won’t be available until much later in the year. Originally, TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expected Apple to ship 800,000 to 1.2 million units of the device expected to be called the Reality Pro. But the analyst has taken the other end of his pencil to make a fairly big change. Now, Kuo expects Apple to deliver only 500,000 Reality Pro units. At $3,000 a pop, that difference adds up to some real money.
