Apple’s latest headgear differs from other previous devices from firms such as Meta and HTC Corp. in that it offers both AR and VR technology. However, Meta has a newer headgear, the Quest Pro, that combines the two technologies.
According to the Reports, the mixed-reality operating system will include updated versions of major applications including as Messages and Maps, as well as a software development kit that third parties may use to build their own apps and games. The headgear and its supporting operating system and applications are being created by the company’s Technology Development Group, or TDG, a top-secret branch overseen by CEO Mike Rockwell. Geoff Stahl, a senior engineering manager and almost 24-year Apple veteran who has spearheaded the development of games and graphics software, has supervised the operating system.
According to recent job postings, Apple is trying to build its own 3D-based “mixed-reality universe.” According to those familiar with the company’s intentions, the gadget would provide virtual collaboration capabilities and a VR version of FaceTime, competing with services such as Zoom and Meta’s Horizon Workrooms. To work on the headgear, Apple recently hired the director of engineering for its iWork productivity tools, Notes app, and Apple News.
When Apple first began working on the operating system roughly seven years ago, it was internally nicknamed “realityOS” — or “rOS” for short. Within the corporation, Apple has lately begun referring to the software as “xrOS.” Unlike the more generic-sounding “reality” appellation, the new brand might help Apple claim the emerging mixed-reality sector.
Across the same time as the name change, a shadowy shell business called Deep Dive LLC sought to trademark the brand “xrOS” in numerous countries around the world, including the United States. If Apple is behind the filings, it hints that it is also contemplating adopting “xrOS” as its public product name.
