Apple might announce its first technology. The screen of any headset is about an inch from the eye so quality is very important and might be among the most critical components in Apple's rumored VR device.
Apple has a long history of building for augmented reality, purchasing Metaio in 2015 and using its software development kit as the basis for ARKit which powers Apple's AR Quick Look viewer on the iPhone and iPad. Whenever asked about what is coming in the future from Apple, CEO Tim Cook answers by stating that no details of future products will be revealed, however, he almost always adds that he's excited about AR. This could be seen as a clear sign that Apple has much bigger plans for the technology than the mildly interesting 3D objects on an iPhone's screen.
Apple's AR/VR headset is expected to arrive as early as the end of 2022 and might even be announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. While this product has been rumored to appear sooner, the added pressure of Meta's ambitions might force Apple's hand to start sooner. According to display supply chain expert Ross Young, the gears might already be in motion on this product with Sony said to have been chosen as the supplier of the headsets' micro-OLED displays. Young's tweet offers a PDF with the details and references Sony's recent announcement of a 4,000 pixel-per-inch display that provides 4K resolution s for VR. This demonstration might have been the first look at some of the technology that could be involved in Apple's headset.
Apple's AR/VR Display Technology
Supply chain analyst Ross Found predicted that Apple will design its AR/VR headset to use three display modules. Two of these are said to be Sony's super high-resolution micro-OLED screens which are designed specifically for use in VR. The third display is supposedly a lower resolution AMOLED display, which begs the question of why Apple would include three screens given the standard two-eye configuration of humans.
It turns out that Apple isn't deg for a mythical 'triclops.' Young suggests that the third display might be used around the edges of the two 4K screens to extend the view while keeping costs down. The eye has much greater focus and can detect details best in the center of the view so a lower resolution at the edges might not even be noticeable. Despite this cost-saving approach, Apple's first AR/VR headset is expected to be a high-end device with prices meant for professional use and developers looking to get an early start with creating AR and VR content for Apple's ecosystem.
Source: Ross Young/Twitter