Apple’s mixed reality headset will support the newest Wi-Fi and be truly wireless, analyst claims 

Apple’s upcoming augmented and virtual reality headset that mixes the real and digital worlds will support the newest version of Wi-Fi and allow it to be truly wireless, analyst claims

  • Apple’s upcoming mixed-reality headset will use the newest form of Wi-Fi
  • This will let it support faster speeds and have a higher number of connections 
  • Speculation has swirled around cost; some expect the device to sell for $1,000 
  • It is expected to be a segue to Apple’s eventual AR glasses, Apple Glass 
  • Apple Glass is not expected to be ready until 2025 at the earliest   


Apple’s mixed-reality headset that includes augmented reality and virtual reality will use the newest version of Wi-Fi, allowing for the device to eventually be truly wireless.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the oft-rumored device will use Wi-Fi 6E support, according to 9to5Mac, which first reported the news.

This feature, which is available in some current virtual reality headsets (such as the Oculus Quest), will let the new Apple device have faster speeds and introduce a higher number of connections.

The device will still likely have to connect to an iPhone or Mac computer, but it could pave the way for it to work as a stand-alone and not be tethered to another device in the future.

Apple’s upcoming mixed-reality headset will use the newest form of Wi-Fi. This will let it support faster speeds and have a higher number of connections

Apple has not yet responded to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.

The sixth generation of Wi-Fi, also known as 802.11ax, lets users connect more devices to the internet, further entrenching society into the Internet of Things (IoT) ideal.

It could have very advanced sensors, an 8K display and powerful chips. 

Additionally, Sony and Meta (the company formerly known as Facebook) are also expected to unveil new mixed-reality headsets next year, both offering Wi-Fi 6, Kuo added.

Future versions could have 5G mmWave technology that would eventually let the devices operate independent of a laptop or smartphone, Kuo explained.

Speculation has swirled around cost; some expect the upcoming Apple device to sell for $1,000 or as much as $3,500

Speculation has swirled around cost; some expect the upcoming Apple device to sell for $1,000 or as much as $3,500

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said augmented reality is 'critically important' to the company's future

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said augmented reality is ‘critically important’ to the company’s future

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AR AND VR?

Virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of an environment or situation

  • It immerses the user by making them feel like they are in the simulated reality through images and sounds
  • For example, in VR, you could feel like you’re climbing a mountain while you’re at home

In contrast, augmented reality layers computer-generated images on top of an existing reality

  • AR is developed into apps to bring digital components into the real world
  • For example, in the Pokemon Go app, the characters seem to appear in real world scenarios

The headset’s AR feature will overlay computer-generated images onto the user’s view of the real world, enhancing games and educational programs. 

The VR feature fully immerses the user in a simulated environment.

According to the new report, the headset will have its own CPU and graphics processor and might have some basic standalone functionality.

Production is expected to start sometime later this year and could ship in the second-half of 2022, Kuo has said previously.       

At this point, it’s unclear exactly how much the headset will cost, but all indications are that it will be expensive.

Bloomberg has called the device ‘pricey,’ while others have suggested the product could be similar in price to Microsoft’s HoloLens 2, which retails for $3,500.  

In the past, Kuo has suggested that the device will cost at least $1,000. 

Apple recently unveiled its new MacBook Pro laptops, which come with a M1 Pro or M1 Max chips and are up to 70 percent faster than their predecessors.

 The device is likely to be a precursor to Apple’s augmented reality glasses, known as Apple Glass, which could be released at 2025, by the earliest.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked about the power of augmented reality for several years.

In April, Cook told tech journalist Kara Swisher the tech is ‘critically important’ to the company’s future. 

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