Apple's AR/VR headset will scan your iris when you put it on
Apple's AR/VR headset will scan your iris when you put it on
Expand / The report explains how Apple's next headset will be different from the Meta Quest Pro pictured here.
Kyle Orland
A new report in The Information has revealed new information about Apple's upcoming augmented and virtual reality headset.
Among other things, the report details features that differentiate Apple's headset from Meta's recently announced Quest Pro, which will likely be Apple's device's biggest competitor.
Corresponding to previous reports, The Information article states that the helmet will resemble a pair of ski goggles. It will be made of "mesh fabrics, aluminum and glass" and it will be thinner and weigh less than the Quest Pro. News sources did not specify a weight, but the Quest Pro weighs 722 grams.
The new headset will scan a user's irises so they can be recognized and logged into their individual accounts as soon as they put the headset on. This feature would work for multiple users, making it easy to switch the headset from one person to another, for example. Additionally, iris scanning technology will be used to authenticate payments. Meta's headset will not feature iris scanning.
So, in other words, it will be the headset equivalent of Face ID or Touch ID, the biometric authentication methods previously seen on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
The headset will also offer accommodations for users who wear glasses. They will be able to "magnetically clip the corrective lenses inside the helmet".
That won't be the only way Apple's headset scans its wearer. It has already been reported that the device will have 14 cameras. Two, according to today's report, will scan the wearer's legs so that the positions of said legs can be accurately represented by a virtual avatar.
In contrast, Meta's recently announced Quest Pro headset has four cameras down to 10, and is missing the leg cameras. It's common in 3D telepresence apps to see floating torsos and legless faces, but it looks like Apple might be looking to move away from that norm.
Apple and Meta are about to do battle in the mixed reality space. Meta has been in the VR business for seven years, but Apple has a strong background in AR thanks to sensors and developer support on its iPhones and iPads. And while Meta has a significant head start on the software side for immersive VR, it isn't as experienced as Apple in hardware product development.
Meta's Quest Pro was first unveiled on October 11 and will be available for purchase for $1,499.99 starting October 25. Apple's headset has suffered several delays, but is now slated for release in 2023 at a higher price.
Expand / The report explains how Apple's next headset will be different from the Meta Quest Pro pictured here.
Kyle Orland
A new report in The Information has revealed new information about Apple's upcoming augmented and virtual reality headset.
Among other things, the report details features that differentiate Apple's headset from Meta's recently announced Quest Pro, which will likely be Apple's device's biggest competitor.
Corresponding to previous reports, The Information article states that the helmet will resemble a pair of ski goggles. It will be made of "mesh fabrics, aluminum and glass" and it will be thinner and weigh less than the Quest Pro. News sources did not specify a weight, but the Quest Pro weighs 722 grams.
The new headset will scan a user's irises so they can be recognized and logged into their individual accounts as soon as they put the headset on. This feature would work for multiple users, making it easy to switch the headset from one person to another, for example. Additionally, iris scanning technology will be used to authenticate payments. Meta's headset will not feature iris scanning.
So, in other words, it will be the headset equivalent of Face ID or Touch ID, the biometric authentication methods previously seen on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
The headset will also offer accommodations for users who wear glasses. They will be able to "magnetically clip the corrective lenses inside the helmet".
That won't be the only way Apple's headset scans its wearer. It has already been reported that the device will have 14 cameras. Two, according to today's report, will scan the wearer's legs so that the positions of said legs can be accurately represented by a virtual avatar.
In contrast, Meta's recently announced Quest Pro headset has four cameras down to 10, and is missing the leg cameras. It's common in 3D telepresence apps to see floating torsos and legless faces, but it looks like Apple might be looking to move away from that norm.
Apple and Meta are about to do battle in the mixed reality space. Meta has been in the VR business for seven years, but Apple has a strong background in AR thanks to sensors and developer support on its iPhones and iPads. And while Meta has a significant head start on the software side for immersive VR, it isn't as experienced as Apple in hardware product development.
Meta's Quest Pro was first unveiled on October 11 and will be available for purchase for $1,499.99 starting October 25. Apple's headset has suffered several delays, but is now slated for release in 2023 at a higher price.
Expand / The report explains how Apple's next headset will be different from the Meta Quest Pro pictured here.
Kyle Orland
