Apple usually has its lips closed when it comes to posting details about anything before the “thing” is officially announced. But new reports mentioning trademark filings are once again making headlines for rumors of Apple’s VR / AR headphones.
In February, software developers discovered references to “realityOS” in the App Store upload logs and GitHub repositories used by Apple. These sightings were posted on Twitter at the time by developers Rens Verhoeven and Steve Troughton-Smith.
What does Apple RealityOS do in the App Store upload logs?
AR / VR confirmed? pic.twitter.com/Wp7XWieeEU
– Rens Verhoeven (@renssies) January 17, 2022
In the previous tweet there are references to a “com.apple.platform.realityos” within the same block of code as an existing “com.apple.platform.watchos” platform.
But new reports say the name realityOS has resurfaced in trademark filings apparently linked to the company.
Vox Media product manager Parker Ortolani used Twitter to share two U.S. Patent and Trademark Office documents he found registered by an unknown company called Realityo Systems LLC. The trademark was filed on December 8, 2021 for categories such as “peripherals,” “software,” and “laptop hardware.”
While this may be the trademark of some random company, 9to5Mac believes that there is evidence linking this specific trademark to Apple. Realityo Systems LLC shares the same address as Yosemite Research LLC, the interpreter company that Apple used to protect trademarks of earlier versions of its macOS operating system, including macOS Monterey.
According to reports earlier this year, Apple wants to know that it does not want to follow Meta in the metavers when its AR headset rumors are released.
In a newsletter from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, we learned that Apple has rejected the idea of a fully virtual world for its mixed reality headphones that were rumored for a long time. As you know, a completely virtual world is the premise of metavers.
According to the report, the very idea of a metaverse-like existence for virtual reality headsets is “out of bounds.” Instead, he says the focus of Apple’s VR headsets would be on short stays of communication, content viewing, and gaming.
“Here’s a word I’d be surprised to hear on stage when Apple announces its headphones: metavers,” Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter. “I’ve been told very directly that the idea of a completely virtual world where users can escape, as they can in the future of Meta Platforms / Facebook, is beyond Apple’s bounds.”
It seems that Apple CEO Tim Cook will not follow the example of Facebook, eh, Meta, and almost every other company that has intervened recently to discuss ways in which they can bring us closer to a poorly defined and ill-conceived future. where the physical and digital worlds merge through the use of virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality.
Rumors about Apple’s mixed reality headphones have been around for over a year.
When we say “mixed reality” it usually means augmented reality / virtual reality. There are only a few ways to view the device, but since the device has not yet been officially confirmed, we must assume that it will be a virtual reality headset as you know it, but suffocated with the feeling of Apple.
According to a report by The Information, the headphones will include two 8K screens, more than a dozen cameras for manual tracking and will be sold at retail for more than $ 4,000. The device could also run on several processors, including one with the power of Apple’s M1 chip, according to trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who also says the headset could support Wi-Fi 6E to provide bandwidth. greater and low latency connectivity.
Initial reports indicated that you may need an Apple iPhone to enjoy virtual reality headsets, but it looks like it will be the same as any other Apple device – the experience is better with an iPhone, but not a requirement.
Apple’s mixed-reality headphones could debut as early as this year, but rumors have also been circulating for some time about possible production delays affecting the release. We’re unlikely to hear anything about VR headsets next week during WWDC, but it’s a dream come true.
This post has been updated since it was first published, and we’ll keep you updated as we learn more.