A rumored mixed-reality Apple headset combining virtual and augmented reality should feature fast Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and arrive sometime in 2022, a reliable analyst predicts.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Kuo says Apple’s first mixed reality headset with Wi-Fi 6 is due in 2022
- Similar products from Meta and Sony are expected in 2022 as well
- Meta will apparently go straight after Apple’s headset next year
Kuo: Apple MR headset with Wi-Fi 6 launching in 2022
Apple’s first head-mounted headset is apparently coming in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who added that the product would feature fast Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) connectivity. The need for faster Wi-Fi 6 networking is necessitated by the fact that the headset will likely sport limited resources and have limited battery life due to Apple’s strict requirements in terms of size and weight.
The analyst says that Meta’s latest Oculus Quest 2 supports Wi-Fi 6 because the protocol is significantly better than Wi-Fi 5 in transmission speed and power consumption. Specifically, Wi-Fi 6 helps the new Oculus Air Link operate more stably. On top of that Wi-Fi 6 networking allows for a display refresh rate of up to 120Hz versus 72Hz or 90Hz for Wi-Fi 5, Kuo wrote in a research note shared by MacRumors.
The analyst didn’t clarify whether the headset would end up being a standalone product or an accessory requiring an iPhone for processing power. That said, however, the device will likely need to provide substantial processing and graphics power because it will reportedly run immersive games and focus on video-streaming and conferencing.
Mark Gurman in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter on Bloomberg:
Apple is planning to unleash its own pricey device with advanced chips, displays, sensors and avatar-based features as early as next year.
[…]
Apple’s first headset will be of the mixed reality variety. That means it will have both AR and VR capabilities. While gaming can be done in both environments, virtual reality is what you want for seriously high-performance games with top-tier graphics. For Apple’s first headset, that’s what it’s shooting for: a mixed reality experience that can handle games in high-quality virtual reality with snappy chips and high-end displays.
Kuo says that upcoming headsets from other players like Sony and Meta, both predicted to release in the second quarter of 2022, will also incorporate Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E. Apple’s ambitions in this space are said to include both augmented and virtual reality products.
Aside from the rumored mixed reality headset that would combine virtual reality and mixed reality into a single head-worn accessory, the company is also said to be developing a pair of light augmented reality glasses that would overlay high-quality computer graphics on top of the real world.