Apple has had a virtual and augmented reality headset in the works, and it will come with more than a dozen cameras to track your hand movements as well as eye-tracking technology, according to a new report from The Information.
The outlet viewed internal images of a late-stage prototype and described it as having a curved visor with mesh material and interchangeable headbands. People familiar with the project told the publication that the headset is equipped with high-quality 8K displays, Lidar technology, and is code-named N301. Apple will use its own chips to power the device, according to The Information.
The 12-plus cameras in the headset will be able to reflect real-time video of the outside world onto the screens for the viewer, The Information reported. Those cameras would allow the headset to communicate with the viewer's eye movement and hand gestures. Apple is also working on a device that the user can wear on their finger to control the headset, per the report.
Bloomberg reported in late January that Apple's first VR headset could ship as early as 2022. A source also told The Information that the device could indeed be available as early as next year, and the company could ship about 250,000 units in the first year of its release.
Apple did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
The Lidar technology said to run in the headset also comes in the company's iPhone 12 Pro. The headset, as was previously reported, could also precede a pair of smart glasses that could debut by 2023, per the report.
Apple's mixed-reality headset has been in talks for some time now as the company explores both VR and AR technology, and it won't be cheap — The Information reported the headset could cost around $3,000.
The headset will likely not be affordable for the masses at that price point, especially considering other VR headsets on the market, which usually sit between $300 and $1,000.
An Apple headset would directly compete with the likes of Facebook's Oculus Quest and Sony's PlayStation VR. On Facebook's quarterly earnings call last week, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he expects the Quest to eventually be "the first mainstream virtual reality headset."
