Apple demos new AR/VR headset to board members as product launch nears

Apple reportedly demoed its long-rumored AR/VR headset to board members last week during a top secret meeting ahead of the wearables expected launch either later this year or early next year, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claiming that the iPhone maker is working heavily on the development of the software that will run on the headset, which is expected to be called “RealityOS.”

Bloomberg’s report follows after The Information published a lengthy insight into Apple’s AR/VR headset development this week, which claimed that Apple had functioning prototypes of the wearable in 2016 but has faced several project delays, including prioritization of the iPhone’s development, technical challenges, and more.

The rumored device will reportedly feature two ultra-high-resolution 8K displays with a “bevy” of other features, including advanced eye-tracking technology and the ability to pass video of the real world through the visor and display it to the user, offering a “mixed-reality effect.” It will mark Apple’s first major new product launch since the original Apple Watch in October 2014.

Last year we saw The Information publish a sketch of the upcoming headset, claiming to have seen secret internal imagery from an unnamed source “with direct knowledge” of the development, reporting that the device will offer a “sleek, curved visor attached to the face by a mesh material and swappable headbands.”

Concept creator Ian Zelbo has released visuals showing what Apple’s new headset will probably look like based on earlier leaked information, featuring an Apple Watch-style adjustable headband and AirPods Max reminiscent mesh cushion for comfort around the wearer’s eyes.

Image: Ian Zelbo