Apple is gearing up to launch their mixed-reality headset- their first new product category after the Watch Ultra- next year.
The company is planning to drop the model along with a dedicated operating system and app store for third-party software.
The project is still under wraps, but Gurman was able to gather the information the operating system name will be changed from “realityOS” to “xrOS” where “XR” stands for extended reality that covers both augmented and virtual reality.
The mixed-reality operating system will offer new versions of core apps — like Messages and Maps — and will work with a software development kit that third parties can use to create their own apps and games, reported Bloomberg News.
The headset and its accompanying operating system and apps are developed within what the company calls its Technology Development Group, or TDG, a secretive unit led by executive Mike Rockwell.
Recent job listings suggest that Apple is looking to create its own 3D-based “mixed-reality world.” People with knowledge of the company’s plans have said the device will offer virtual collaboration tools and a VR version of FaceTime to compete against Zoom and Meta’s Horizon Workrooms.
Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has expressed his interest in augmented reality for several years, and the company has built a related platform called ARKit, allowing iPhones and iPads to run AR apps.
With rising global AR and VR spending, Apple’s decision to step into this market is indeed a smart one.
