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We’ve heard a lot of rumors about the upcoming Apple VR and mixed reality headset, including news of a potential delay caused by its complicated design. The last data can tell us a little more about how the headphones are connected.
According to a new investor note from Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac (opens in a new tab)), well known for his Apple predictions, Apple headphones will use Wi-Fi 6E to offer higher bandwidth and low-latency connectivity. Which hopefully means you won’t need an awkward wired connection.
Kuo points out that mixed reality currently relies on wired connections because there is a lot of data that needs to be transferred. Fortunately, the higher bandwidth and low-latency connections of Wi-Fi 6E may allow Apple to bypass the cable altogether and deliver its VR and AR experiences without having a physical connection to a separate device.
Wi-Fi 6E uses entirely new spectrum and is designed to move large amounts of data through the air. While the available bandwidth is the same as Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E offers many additional benefits.
Wi-Fi 6E also takes advantage of 100 new data channels and seven 160 MHz ultra-wide channels, instead of the same congested spectrum and channels as Wi-Fi 6. Not only does this mean there is much less interference, but it allows Wi-Fi Fi 6E to offer lower latency (as low as 2 milliseconds) and avoid any immersion-killing lag.
Wi-Fi 6E also requires fewer antennas, which means devices can be smaller and lighter.
Sadly, Apple may still have to rely on an external device, as all the hardware required to power a standalone VR and mixed reality headset would end up adding to the weight of the headset while also reducing battery life. Going wireless means all the hard work can be handled by an iPhone or Mac instead.
Of course, Apple wouldn’t be the first headphone maker to add more advanced wireless capabilities to its products. The Oculus Quest 2 supports Wi-Fi 6, which it uses to stream at 120Hz, rather than the 90Hz refresh rate offered with Wi-Fi 5. Kuo also predicts that both Meta/Facebook as Sony join Apple in launching more Wi-Fi. Fi 6 and 6E enabled headsets next year.
Apple VR/AR headset: Bloomberg’s Gurman weighs in
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also reiterated a number of rumors of Apple’s mixed reality and VR headsets in the latest edition of his ‘Switched on (opens in a new tab)‘ Newsletter. While there isn’t much new information, Gurman has a history of knowing what he’s up to.
Gurman notes that the Apple VR and AR headset will be expensive, which also lines up with previous rumours, and that both its functionality and price will be similar to any headset Meta has lined up to succeed the Oculus Quest 2.
Judging by previous comments made by Facebook/Meta employees, it’s likely the Oculus Quest Pro. But if what Gurman says is true, Apple will have some serious competition when its headset launches.
Previous reports claim that Apple’s mixed reality headset isn’t really designed to be a consumer product. Instead, it’s a gateway device to prepare developers and consumers for Apple’s augmented reality glasses. The idea is that by offering an AR and VR headset early, Apple Glasses will have much better app support than it otherwise would have.
Unfortunately, we don’t know when either device will launch. While it was initially expected to launch in early 2022, Minch-Chi Kuo is now claiming production on Apple’s mixed reality headset. won’t start until Q4 2022, a delay he attributes to complex headset design and ongoing supply chain issues experienced in the tech industry. Meanwhile, Apple Glasses isn’t likely to arrive until 2023 at the earliest.
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