Apple's mixed reality headset might feature digital crown, waist-mounted battery
Apple has been quiet about its long-rumored mixed reality headset. However, leaks and patents filed have kept us updated about the status of the wearable. Now, The Information, in an extensive report has given us more details about the headset. The device is expected to feature a waist-mounted battery and a digital crown to switch between the virtual and physical world.
Battery is expected to be strapped around the user's waist
Apple's AR/VR headset was expected to be lightweight. It seems that the waist-mounted battery will be the reason behind that. The battery will be connected to the headband via a cable. This design was advocated by Apple's former product design chief Sir Jony Ive. The company had earlier tried to integrate the battery into the headband like the Meta Quest Pro.
It is rumored to have a hot-swap design
Apple's mixed reality headset's battery won't last beyond two hours. However, it is said to have a hot-swap design, which will make it easier for users to swap the battery. The device will reportedly have a field of view of 120-degree, more than Meta Quest Pro's 106-degree field of view. It is also expected to feature a high-resolution display.
Digital crown-like dial to switch between physical and virtual worlds
Per The Information, switching between the virtual world and the real world will be easier with Apple's mixed reality headset. For that, it is expected to sport a small, digital crown-like dial. However, unlike the knobs on Apple Watch or AirPods Max, the dial on the headset won't have haptic feedback.
Material used include aluminum, glass, and carbon fiber
Apple is reportedly trying to keep the aesthetic side of the headset clean by keeping the camera concealed. The report says that the materials used by the company to manufacture the wearable include aluminum, glass, and carbon fiber. It is rumored that the company developed different headbands for customers and developers. The headset may feature magnetically attachable prescription glasses for glass-wearers.
The headset may get technology to work with AirPods Pro
The report says that the mixed reality headset will have a special technology that will make it work with Apple AirPods. The headset may pack the H2 chip to provide an ultra-low latency connection when connected to the AirPods Pro 2. The report claims that iOS apps might be able to run in 2D view in the AR/VR headset.
