AppleInsider may earn an affiliate commission for purchases made through links on our site.
Apple has reportedly changed the name of its mixed-reality operating system to “xrOS,” indicating that the company is about to release a mixed-reality headset.
Apple’s “reality OS,” the presumed operating system for its dedicated AR and VR platform may have been renamed “xrOS”.
According to from Bloomberg Mark Gurman, Apple could release its combined AR/VR headset as early as next year.
Apple is rumored to be working on one AppleVR or AR headset for quite some time, and that hardware must have its own operating system.
The “XR” is short for “extended reality”, which includes both virtual and augmented reality.
Details of a special operating system for the headset date back to 2017, with a report claiming Apple’s headset would have its own display and processor, as well as a new operating system. That software was called ‘rOS’ at the time.
Apple is said to be working on at least three AR and VR variant headsets. They are apparently under the codes “N301,” “N421,” and “N602.”
The N301 was said to be the “Apple Reality Pro”, a name for the headset that popped up trademark applications end of August. That headset is expected to be a mixed reality model that will incorporate the Meta Quest Pro, with a possible launch in 2023.
The N602 will apparently be the second generation release, which will offer two variants to consumers. One offers upgrades over the first model, while the other is a cheaper alternative.
The third, the N421, is rumored to be less of a headset and closer to the idea of Apple Glass smart glasses.
Currently expected in an “advanced” stage of development, Apple’s first headset launch could include a pair of 4K OLED screens, 15 camera modules dotted around the exterior, and possible support for eye tracking and hand gestures. The first wave could also be an expensive headset, with suggested prices of up to $3,000.