Apple may have given us a clue about the name of its AR/VR headset

Apple's highly anticipated mixed reality headset may now have a name, according to a Bloomberg report earlier this week. The outlet spotted trademarks in the United States and worldwide markets related to the device that were filed by companies affiliated with Apple. Names such as "Reality One", "Reality Pro" and "Reality Processor" have been filed by an alleged front company - Immersive Health Solutions LLC - with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The filings requested rights related to the use of health assessment and monitoring using VR/AR, design and development of computer hardware, access to databases, provisions educational, photographic and optical instruments, etc.

Immersive Health Solutions was incorporated in February 2022 and was registered by Corporation Trust Co., another shell company, it is assumed, based on ties to an Apple-related attorney and prior filing processes of the society. The initial report also stated that the new brands had been registered as Immersive Health Solutions in Canada, New Zealand, EU, UK, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica and Uruguay.

Apple previously used a shell company to drop its source code referencing realityOS (which would be the name of its AR/VR operating system) in late 2021, according to the site.

Registration of trademarks under another company name is not uncommon for Apple. Given its notorious secrecy around unreleased hardware projects, these repositories are a key way to glean information.

Apple did not respond to our request for comment.

The headset is believed to be the same size as Meta's Oculus Quest and focused on high tech and high performance. Plus, it's said to include an even more power-hungry processor than the M1 found on the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Virtual reality is the main focus of the headset, but it will also offer some AR functionality, according to Bloomberg's first look at the product.

The new product will find Apple in direct competition with Meta's Quest Pro (rumored for release next month) and PlayStation VR.

According to the filing, Apple's headset could offer both gaming and FaceTime functionality, as well as health and education features. Although Meta's devices have been used for some medical training, they were not designed with such use cases in mind.

Apple is hosting a big event at its Cupertino headquarters next week, with the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 headlining. A preview of the new headset could also be on the agenda as the company looks to entice developers to create content for the new category. It is believed that the executives have already presented a version of the product to shareholders.