14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is speeding up work on an augmented reality headset that should be ready by 2019 and launch one year later if development goes according to the plan.
Codenamed “T288,” the new AR headset will feature its own display and come with a dedicated processor, according to a report by Bloomberg which also adds that the operating system powering the device will be called “rOS” and will be based on the existing iOS.
At this point, very little is known officially about the new headset, but CEO Tim Cook himself recently hinted that Apple doesn’t necessarily want to be first to bring such a product to the market, but “the best,” suggesting that it could take a few more years until the product is ready.
The cited source reveals that Geoff Stahl, formerly a software manager for games and graphics at Apple, is currently a director of the rOS software team, with the group working on the project also comprising engineers in Cupertino and Sunnyvale who previously helped develop ARKit.
Hardware not yet finalized
Apple’s new headset is still in its early days and the company hasn’t decided on the input methods, though several ways to control the device are already being tested, including head gestures, Siri voice commands, and touchscreens.
The headset is likely to come with support for the App Store, meaning users will be allowed to download and install apps just like on iOS.
Since the hardware isn’t finalized just yet, the team working on the project is reportedly using an HTC Vive headset with an iPhone playing the role of a display, though early prototypes of T288 are expected to feature one of the input methods mentioned above, with its own screen very likely.
The company is said to be “very aggressive” on the timeline of the project, as Apple wants to have the new device ready in just a couple of years. Depending on how the project advances, however, the company could decide to hold it back a little longer, though it has a clear goal of bringing it to the market in 2020.