Apple’s forthcoming Reality Pro headset, set to be priced at around $3,000, has been met with skepticism from some, given its relatively high price point and the fact that mixed-reality headsets are still a niche market. However, a recent leak has revealed that Apple is taking steps to win over customers by developing a full range of apps and games that will be available on its high-end device.
According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, Apple is creating a host of apps and experiences that will showcase the capabilities of the headset, including games, workouts, collaboration tools, and more. The apps will offer a mixture of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) options, with some existing iPad apps being tweaked for the VR and AR world.
Apple’s Fitness+ app, for example, will feature VR instructors for its workouts, while the Freeform collaboration app could allow users to work together on virtual whiteboards. The Apple TV app will also reportedly let users watch sports or movies in immersive environments, such as a desert or the sky.
To help develop these killer apps, Apple is expected to unveil the Reality Pro at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, an event that will be packed with developers and offer hands-on sessions to give attendees time to learn about the headset and the xrOS operating system that will power it.
XrOS will be based on iOS, making it easier for existing apps to be bridged to the new device. It will be able to run multiple apps simultaneously within the mixed-reality interface, and users will be able to use millions of existing apps from third-party developers. The operating system will also include a familiar-looking home screen with floating app icons, as well as Apple’s Control Center for controlling volume, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.
Users will be able to use a combination of hand-tracking and eye-tracking to operate the device, swiping through virtual menus with their fingers and typing on virtual keyboards in midair. Apple has also developed biometric security that scans a user’s eyes to unlock the device.
With all these features in the works, Apple is making a strong push to appeal to customers and convince them that the Reality Pro is worth its high price tag. Whether it can succeed remains to be seen, but the company’s efforts will be closely watched at WWDC in June. As Gurman himself has previously argued, the event could be one of the most critical in Apple’s history.