Apple is expected to release its first AR headset in early 2023, running on xrOS. It was previously suggested that Apple would choose the name realityOS for the OS used to control the headset, but things appear to be changing.
According to Bloomberg, AR headset development is picking up steam, and one change is expected to be the operating system named xrOS. Apple plans to launch the product early next year. However, since the project is highly confidential and the leaked information is very limited, it seems that no further information has come out.
One of the reasons Apple chose the name “xrOS” appears to be to not specify what kind of content users can project through the headset. XR(Extended Reality) is a general term for technology that allows you to perceive things that do not exist in reality by fusing the real world with the virtual world. Therefore, technologies such as VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality), and MR (mixed reality) are all included in XR.
The use of XR for the OS suggests that it will be possible to run mixed reality content, including augmented reality and virtual reality. Augmented reality provides real-time graphical information to the environment around us, and virtual reality brings the entire experience onto a display in front of us.
MR content is expected to be heavy, so headsets are expected to be lightweight yet powerful. There will also be a dedicated app that will provide a new experience. These will consist of variations of existing apps, such as Maps and Messages, with the content expected to be displayed on the headset’s visor. Apple is also developing third-party software development kits so that, eventually, new apps can be downloaded and used for xrOS.
