Apple AR/VR headset to have external battery that rests in a user’s pocket and connects via cable, according to Gurman

Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has claimed that Apple’s long-rumored AR/VR mixed-reality headset will have a new proprietary charging connector, claiming that the new device will have an external battery that rests in a user’s pocket and connects via cable.

In his weekly Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple will include a MagSafe Battery Pack-like external battery with the new AR/VR headset, which will connect to the headset via a cable, offering around two hours of usage per charge.

“Apple made that choice to reduce weight and improve comfort,” says Gurman, noting that the charging cable that goes into the headset has a round tip that inserts magnetically.

“In order to prevent the connector from falling out during use, you rotate it clockwise to lock it in. The cable itself connects to the battery pack, and those two pieces aren’t separable,” he says.

Apple is widely rumored to be planning on unveiling its long-rumored AR/VR mixed-reality headset at WWDC23 in June ahead of a release in the fall.

In 2021 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.