San Francisco: Apple is working on the most advanced chips for its unannounced mixed reality headset and now a new report has claimed that the device will incorporate Wi-Fi 6E to offer higher bandwidth, low latency connectivity.
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the adoption of the latest Wi-Fi specification is a basic requirement for head-mounted displays (HMDs) to improve the wireless experience. New HMDs from Meta, Apple, and Sony will all adopt Wi-Fi 6/6E in 2022, reports MacRumors.
“Wi-Fi 6 is significantly better than Wi-Fi 5 in transmission speed and power consumption, so Meta’s latest Oculus Quest 2 supports Wi-Fi 6,” explains Kuo. “Wi-Fi 6 helps Oculus Air Link operate more stably and allows for a display refresh rate of up to 120Hz (compared to 72Hz or 90Hz for Wi-Fi 5).”
The upcoming headset would likely not be aimed at consumers, but instead be geared towards developers and business customers.
It may feature at least 15 camera modules, feature eye-tracking, possibly iris recognition, and could cost between $2,000 and $3,000.
The upcoming Apple headset will be similar to the Oculus Quest, and some prototypes being tested include external cameras to enable some AR features.
Apple is also reportedly testing the ability to use these cameras to track hand movements, and include software features like a virtual keyboard.