When we first learned that Apple was reportedly aiming for a lightweight AR headset that would be no heavier than 150 grams, we thought it was to prevent wearers from experiencing fatigue. A new report takes a deeper dive into how the company is placing limitations on the upcoming device, implying that its weight could have been a deliberate move to prevent users from seeking an escape into a virtual world.
New Report Predicts That Apple Wants a Virtual World to Be off Limits When Wearing the AR Headset
Sources close to the matter have informed Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman that Apple has thought about the metaverse but is looking to avoid it. In his ‘Power On’ newsletter, the idea of a virtual world where AR headset owners can escape to in the same manner as Meta Platforms from Facebook is off-limits. Instead of being used for countless periods, Apple reportedly wants the AR headset to be used in short bursts, though the time limit was not mentioned here.
Previously, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook spoke about how concerned he was over the fact that the company’s devices were being used for endless scrolling instead of being utilized in a creative manner. In short, users were inhibiting their productivity and health, which could be one reason why the AR headset may have limitations in place that will prevent it from being used for hours on end.
Despite those limitations, the AR headset is expected to be a powerful piece of technology, as it is reported to fetch hardware with similar compute performance as the M1 chips. Unfortunately, it might be out of reach for several consumers as Gurman previously reported that the AR headset would be a pricey purchase, though he did not care to provide an exact price.
Thankfully, previous reports have claimed that the AR headset could cost a mammoth $3,000, while separately published info talks about a more accessible $1,000 price tag. We are expected to find out more later this year, so for the time being, treat all this information with a pinch of salt.
You can also check out some AR glasses concepts below.
- Apple’s AR Headset Is a Lightweight Head-Mounted Wearable With Multiple Front-Facing Cameras in This Latest Concept
- This ‘macOS Reality’ Concept Uses AR Technology of the Apple Glass to Transform a Normal Desk Into a Productivity Workstation
- New glassOS Concept Shows How the Interface and Notifications Would Look if You Were Wearing the Apple Glasses
Image credits - Antonio De Rosa
News Source: AppleInsider
