Apple is finally anticipated to unveil a mixed reality headgear and its operating system at WWDC on June 5, 2023, after what feels like an eternity of rumors. While many Apple fans are left wondering what this new operating system, known as xrOS, would look like and what intriguing features it will bring as the keynote draws nearer.
What is Apple’s xrOS?
According to recent speculations, xrOS may very well be Apple’s next significant software platform, driving the company’s future Reality Pro mixed reality headset.
Its main goal will be to provide a very familiar user interface shared by Apple’s current lineup of iPhones and iPads along with an intensely immersive augmented and virtual reality experience.
xrOS renders by Ben Geskin
xrOS: The story so far
Apple’s push in 2017 opened the door for developers to use the iPhone’s camera and motion sensors to submit ARKit-compatible apps to the App Store, which can be traced back to Apple’s early efforts in AR/VR.
Early in 2022, though, rumors about Apple’s work on an AR/VR headset with a custom processor, display, and operating system began to circulate. According to open-source code that Apple provided on GitHub, this operating system was formerly known as “realityOS.”
According to allegations by Mark Gurman, Apple is now referring to the software as “xrOS,” where “xr” stands for extended reality. This information was published as of late 2022.
Also, before to the September 2022 launch of its premium iPhone 14 Pro, Apple followed a same strategy. Apple has officially registered the xrOS wordmark in New Zealand, similar to how they did with the Dynamic Island trademark in Jamaica before the launch. This registration was made under the fictitious business name Deep Dive LLC, which lends credence to the information.
xrOS expected features
We can’t be certain of the operating system’s final features because Apple has a history of keeping information secret until the very last minute. Nonetheless, there is still a chance that we could see something resembling the anticipated features listed below.
- An exclusive Home Screen: xrOS might provide an exclusive gesture-based user experience that resembles that of the iPhone and iPad, replete with a springboard that has a grid of widgets and icons.
- A dedicated App Store: We may anticipate that xrOS will feature a dedicated App Store from which users can download various AR/VR apps, just as Apple’s main software platforms, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
- Integration of Apple TV+ is believed to be a key component of xrOS’s immersive video-viewing functionality, which can give users the impression that they are watching a movie on a huge screen.
- Apple Arcade integration: To provide new AR/VR games for an immersive gaming experience on its new headset, Apple may expand Apple Arcade.
- The headset may come with an interactive Maps experience that combines Apple’s Look Around and landmark functions, allowing users to explore places all over the world.
- Integration with Apple Fitness+ is also possible, allowing you to use the mixed reality headset during workouts and track your progress in real time while you work out with your coaches.
- FaceTime will soon get a makeover with a new feature that will allow users to view their full body and face in virtual reality utilizing cameras both inside and outside the headset.
xrOS: The supposed end of AR/VR rivalry?
Only a few companies are currently active in the AR/VR sector, with Meta dominating it. Apple’s strategy is considerably different from that of Meta and other competitors, which view AR and VR as two very distinct technologies. By providing a uniform operating system that enables users to effortlessly move between the two, it seeks to close the gap between AR and VR.
Also, xrOS might contribute to further integrating Apple’s mixed reality headset into the company’s previously developed ecosystem of products, which all function in perfect harmony and are unmatched by any other tech behemoth. This makes me think that if xrOS lives up to its promises, it might put an end to the AR/VR competition between Apple and Meta before it really gets started.
Conclusion
If Apple’s xrOS materializes, it might alter how we use technology and establish mixed reality as a mainstream technology. Even if this sounds great, we won’t know how things turn out until Apple makes its official announcement at WWDC on June 5.