The genie is well and truly out of the lamp when it comes to Apple’s AR/VR headset. The device hasn’t even been officially announced, that's expected to happen at this year's WWDC event starting June 5, yet we’ve been inundated with leaked renders and rumors about its development for some time.
Reputable leakers, reliable insiders, and even former engineers who have worked on the device have all come forward with tidbits of information about Apple’s upcoming project — and very little of it has been positive.
However, there appears to be at least one person who’s been swayed by Apple’s headset — someone who’s actually used it.
Don't knock it, until you've tried it
Evan Bliss, a leaker with a history of providing accurate information in the past, tweeted recently of an Apple tester known to him who has been completely turned around by the brand’s AR/VR headset.
The anonymous tester is claimed to have originally “lamented” the headset as underwhelming. However, over the course of a few months, their opinion has radically shifted, and they’re now “blown away” by Apple’s progress — in a “take my money kind of way.”
Details on exactly what had caused this turnaround weren’t revealed, although they are quoted as saying that “the leap [Apple] made since [late last year] is giant.” This seeming leap in progress does line up with Apple’s AR/VR intentions, with Apple seeking to constantly reshape and improve its features and functionality over time through hardware and software updates.
Could it be that everything is finally coming together at the 11th hour for Apple’s upcoming headset? It’s not impossible. Though, in the face of everything else we’ve heard, the likelihood is improbable.
Outlook
If Blass’ source is legit, then who am I to tell them they’re wrong? Opinions are subjective, after all. And out of the two of us, they’d be the only one who has been able to demo the device. However, I’d place my money on the tester in question being impressed with the headset’s user interface more than anything.
Apple has been providing some of the best user experiences on its devices for long and weary. Its ability to deliver simple, intuitive, and effective interfaces for users will no doubt carry over to its new headset, and I firmly believe that it will be one of the best AR/VR user experiences we’ve seen when the product finally launches.
That being said, the major issue facing Apple’s headset isn’t how intuitively you’ll be able to adjust to it or how you’ll interact with it — it’s what you’ll be able to interact with.
If the recent reports about the 5 key apps Apple is focusing on for AR/VR are to be believed, then Apple has a serious content problem on its hands.
Nobody should be willing to part with $3,000 on a device where the key features are Facetime without any actual faces and an optimized version of the FTSE 500 ticker — regardless of how pleasant it is to use.
