A new report says that a tester with inside, hands-on experience using Apple's upcoming virtual reality headset has gone from being underwhelmed by the experience to "blown away" by the new device.
In June, Apple is expected to debut a mixed-reality headset at its annual developer's conference, WWDC 2023. You've been hearing about the headset for years, which is now expected to debut in just a few short weeks. Rumored features include a whopping $3,000 price tag; apps for fitness, watching TV, gaming, video conferencing, reading, and more, as well as eye- and hand-tracking; Apple silicon processing power; and an external battery pack.
While we've all heard lots of theoretical murmurings about the hardware and software Apple might unveil, you probably haven't heard rumblings about whether this headset is actually good or not. That is, until now.
Apple VR impressions
According to insider Evan Blass, known as @evleaks on Twitter, there have been several opportunities to demo the upcoming Apple mixed reality headset. One insider's experience and outlook on the device have dramatically improved.
Blass, a recognized insider with a track record, tweeted that "a person I know who's had several opportunities to demo the upcoming first-gen (Apple) XR has gone from lamenting its 'underwhelming' capabilities to being 'blown away' by the experience that the latest hardware/firmware delivers."
This makes a lot of sense given that Apple is entering a new product category for the first time, and is likely making significant changes and alterations as it tries to get the recipe for VR success right. Different internal prototypes have undoubtedly gone through heavy changes to get to the product Apple will unveil soon. It was even reported that one internal testing unit was so heavy it had to be suspended from a crane during testing.
While Apple VR is now unanimously expected to debut in June, recent reports indicate that the Apple VR release date could still be months away, as Apple needs to give developers time to create apps and experiences that will make or break the product's success in the market. Still, at least we now know we have a mind-blowing experience to look forward to.
