Apple’s Vision Pro will launch with over 600 apps built for it

Apple has revealed its upcoming Vision Pro headset will launch today with over 600 apps and games designed to utilise its capabilities. 

Vision Pro features an "infinite canvas" allowing apps to scale beyond the boundaries of a traditional display. It also introduces a 3D user interface navigated with the eyes, hands, and voice.

Spatial experiences can transform any room into a personal theatre, unlock new collaboration methods, and transport users to gaming...

2 February 2024 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Storyblok: ‘App absence’ to hamper Vision Pro’s appeal

The launch of Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset could be hampered by the lack of apps from major platforms.

CMS specialist Storyblok has released a survey of 500 consumers revealing that 81 percent are worried about the absence of key apps impacting the device's promised "transformative content experiences." Over half said they were "very concerned."

Netflix is the latest provider to confirm that it won’t be launching a Vision Pro app alongside Google not...

30 January 2024 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Mark Gurman: Don’t expect a cheaper Vision Pro for several years

Apple's new Vision Pro mixed-reality headset has garnered positive attention, but its steep price has raised concerns about its potential sales.

Revealed at WWDC 2023, the Vision Pro marks Apple's entry into a new product category since the Apple Watch in 2015. Priced at $3,500, the headset is more than three times the cost of Meta's Quest Pro, which retails for $999.

While Meta offers a more affordable option with the Quest 3 headset priced at $499, Apple is reportedly...

12 June 2023 | Applications

DoJ charges former Apple engineer with stealing autonomous car secrets

A former Apple engineer has been charged by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) for stealing trade secrets relating to autonomous cars.

The indictment was unsealed by a federal court in California, revealing the case as part of a broader crackdown on efforts by hostile nation-states to illicitly acquire sensitive US technology for their own purposes.

The accused individual, Weibao Wang, was hired by Apple in 2016 as a software engineer for their autonomous driving project...

17 May 2023 | Connected Vehicles

Apple’s mixed-reality headset will use magnetic batteries

Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset will feature a unique magnetic port for attaching a battery pack.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the external battery pack will have a proprietary connector on one end that attaches to the headset itself. The magnetic connector will be round-tipped and will lock into the port by the user turning it.

Each battery pack will offer just two hours of battery life. The magnetic connection will enable users to quickly and securely...

24 April 2023 | Applications

Apple has over 200 people testing self-driving cars

Apple appears to be gradually accelerating its self-driving car program and now has over 200 people testing its vehicles.

Data from the California DMV (via macReports) indicates that Apple has 201 people testing autonomous driving features on public roads. Apple currently has a fleet of 67 vehicles.

The overall size of Apple’s self-driving fleet hasn’t changed much since 2021 but its number of testers is gradually increasing. Apple added 51 testers in 2022 and an...

23 March 2023 | AI

Apple open-source code references ‘realityOS’

A reference to realityOS has been spotted in Apple’s open-source code.

RealityOS is the operating system that Apple is widely expected to use on its upcoming mixed-reality headset. However, it may end up being named xrOS (a reference to “extended reality”) when it reaches consumers’ faces.

This week, Apple posted various bits of code on GitHub with numerous references to realityOS:

https://twitter.com/aaronp613/status/1636096450097721344

Apple’s...

16 March 2023 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Apple’s AR/VR headset plan causes internal divisions

Internal divisions are reportedly arising at Apple over its much-anticipated AR/VR headset.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams are said to be pushing to launch the headset as soon as possible, even if its design isn’t optimal.

Designers at Apple are said to have disagreed with their leadership and want to wait until it's feasible to launch a product that is lighter and less expensive. Current price estimates for the headset are between $2,000 and...

13 March 2023 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Apple’s new HomeKit architecture returns in iOS 16.4

Apple is re-releasing its new HomeKit architecture in iOS 16.4 after it was pulled in an earlier version.

The architecture initially debuted in iOS 16.2 but users quickly ran into problems with devices getting stuck “updating” or becoming entirely unresponsive.

Apple decided to pull the update while it investigated the issues. iOS 16.3 and iOS 16.3.1 arrived without any sign of the new HomeKit’s return.

Anyone eager to get started with the new HomeKit...

17 February 2023 | IoT

Apple finally activates HomePod Mini’s climate sensor

Apple has finally activated the humidity and temperature sensor in the HomePod Mini.

Earlier this month, Apple announced the second generation of its full-size HomePod. One of the new features was a sensor for detecting a room’s current temperature and humidity.

Back in 2021, the teardown specialists at iFixit disassembled the HomePod Mini. iFixit discovered a Texas Instruments HDC2010 humidity and temperature sensor that Apple failed to mention.

“The...

25 January 2023 | Applications