Early Prototype of Apple’s AR Headset Was so Heavy, It Required a Crane to Hold It in Place to Prevent Neck Strain
The paywalled report published by The Information and spotted by 9to5Mac notes that 10 people close to the AR headset project were spoken to and talked about early prototypes. These units either ran Windows or were altered versions of the HTC Vive and other headsets. According to one individual, one unit was so bulky that a small crane was needed to prevent unnecessary neck strain on the wearer. Since Facebook was also reported to be developing a standalone headset, Apple decided to pour more funding into its project to get into this space. Additionally, as the statement below claims, technical factors were the biggest reason why the headset kept getting delayed, among others. The second challenge came from former Apple design head Jony Ive and his group, who believed that a consumer AR headset would not do well with customers. While Apple’s current CEO, Tim Cook, supports the headset project, he hasn’t been as active in the effort as Jobs was with the iPhone’s development, according to five people familiar with the project. For example, he rarely visits the group at its offices away from the main Apple campus, those people said. The lack of a honcho of Cook’s stature to champion the headset, code-named N301, has made it harder at times for it to compete with other products such as the Mac and iPhone for head count and engineering resources, the people said.” With so many problems and challenges at hand, the opposing views of various teams stationed at Apple finally made way for a mixed reality headset, a device that would project both AR and VR content. Unfortunately, even now, Apple’s rumored AR headset is rife with problems, ranging from overheating and software, to name a few. Even then, the ambitious product is said to grow with popularity shortly after its predicted launch in 2023, though it could an expensive purchase for customers, with one report claiming it could cost a whopping $3,000. However, another claim is more conservative on the pricing, stating it will cost the consumer $1,000. These features addressed the industrial design group’s worries about VR-induced alienation—they allowed other people in a room to interact and collaborate with a person wearing a headset in a way not possible with other VR gear. For years, the existence of such a display, internally code-named T429, was known only to a small circle of people even within Rockwell’s group.” Even then, paying a four-figure sum for a product that is not necessarily a daily driver for customers may not be an easy sell for Apple, but we will still see what this AR headset is all about when it officially launches. News Source: The Information
