Apple Said to Be Testing AR/ VR Headset With HTC Vive-Like Controller

The Apple AR headset is expected to sport a sleek design so that it is lightweight and comfortable.

Advertisement
By Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: 27 March 2020 20:59 IST
Highlights
  • Apple may launch AR/VR headset by 2021 or 2022
  • An image from iOS 14 shows generic looking AR/VR controller
  • It might be for internal testing purposes only
Apple Said to Be Testing AR/ VR Headset With HTC Vive-Like Controller

Apple's AR/ VR headset said to feature a HTC Vive-like controller

Apple has expressed a profound interest in augmented reality in recent years, making a major push into the space with frameworks like ARKit and RealityKit, creative tools like Reality Composer and Reality Converter, and hardware like the LiDAR Scanner on the new iPad Pro and likely some iPhone 12 models.

Multiple reports have indicated that Apple also plans to release a combination AR/VR headset by 2021 or 2022, and MacRumors has uncovered significant evidence of this project in a leaked build of iOS 14 that has been circulating.

MacRumors has obtained a photo from iOS 14 of what appears to be a generic looking controller for an AR/VR headset, with a very similar design as the controller for the HTC Vive Focus headset, released in 2018. Back in 2017, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple engineers were using HTC Vive hardware for internal testing purposes.

Given the basic design of the controller, we suspect that it is for internal testing purposes only. Apple's consumer-facing controller would likely be much more polished.

Advertisement

Earlier this month, it was reported that iOS 14 contains a new augmented reality app codenamed "Gobi," and we believe that Apple is using this app along with QR codes to test augmented reality experiences on its AR/VR headset. There are QR codes that trigger experiences related to the Apple Watch, Mac Pro, Apple Store, Starbucks, and a movie poster.

One particularly interesting augmented reality experience that Apple is testing is a "crosswalk bowling game," which we believe may allow Apple engineers to roll a virtual bowling ball across the crosswalk to knock down virtual bowling pins on the other side of the street while waiting for the pedestrian light to change from stop to go.

Advertisement

This crosswalk bowling game can only be triggered at an intersection near an Apple office known as "Mathilda 3" at 555 N Mathilda Ave in Sunnyvale, California, which may be one of the locations that Apple is developing its AR/VR headset. This office is located roughly five miles from the company's Apple Park headquarters in nearby Cupertino.

All of this suggests that Apple remains deeply invested in its AR/VR headset project, although development may have slowed as of late due to the ongoing pandemic that has forced many Apple engineers to work from home for now.

 

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: Apple, HTC, HTC Vive, Apple Watch, Mac Pro
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Amazon Prime Day Sale: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Discount Revealed
  2. Amazon Prime Day 2025 Sale: iPhone 15 Discounted Price Revealed
  3. Realme 15 Pro 5G Leaked Render Shows Design Ahead of India Launch
  4. Xiaomi Compact Power Bank 20,000mAh Launched in India: Price, Features
  5. Lumio Arc 5, Arc 7 Projectors Launched in India: Price and Specifications
  6. Honor X9c 5G With 6,600mAh Battery Launched in India: Price, Features
  7. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Leak Suggests 16GB RAM, Camera Upgrades, More
  8. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 Said to Get a Significant Price Hike in India
  9. UIDAI Updates Aadhaar Regulations: How to Update Aadhaar Card Online
  1. Realme 15 Pro 5G Leaked Render Shows Design Ahead of India Launch
  2. Samsung Smart Monitor M9 With QD-OLED Display Launched in India Alongside Refreshed M8, M7 Models
  3. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Said to Get 16GB RAM, Improved Telephoto Lens, More
  4. Xiaomi Compact Power Bank 20,000mAh Launched in India With Built-In Cable: Price, Features
  5. Forza Motorsport Team 'No More', Romero Games 'Completely Closed' Following Microsoft Cuts
  6. Honor X70 Tipped to Launch With an 8,300mAh Battery, Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 SoC
  7. iPhone 15 to Get a Discount During Amazon Prime Day 2025 Sale: Price Revealed
  8. Realme 15 Series to Feature AI Edit Genie, a Voice-Enabled Photo Editing Tool
  9. Amazon India Is Bringing Rufus AI Assistant to Desktop, to Help Users During Prime Day Sale 2025
  10. Amazon Prime Day Sale 2025: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to Be Available Under Rs. 80,000
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.