Kuo: Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset Could Feature Iris Recognition

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 19 Mar 2021

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in his latest investor’s note, claims that the company’s upcoming mixed reality headset will feature an advanced eye-tracking system.

The eye-tracking system in the headset will feature a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter will transmit invisible lights of different wavelengths, while the receiving end up will detect any changes in the light reflected from the eyeball to track its position.

Most headsets in the market currently use handheld controllers for tracking, but they do not offer a good user experience. Kuo believes Apple’s eye-tracking implementation will lead to a more immersive visual experience. The headset can reduce resolution in areas where the user is not looking to reduce the computing resources required.

While not confirmed, Kuo also says that Apple’s mixed reality headset can support iris recognition. If Apple ends up implementing it, users will get a more “intuitive Apple Pay method” when using the headset.

Previous rumors surrounding Apple’s mixed reality headset have also claimed that it could feature eye tracking. It will seemingly feature 15 cameras for “innovative biometrics.” Kuo believes Apple will launch its first MR/AR headset in 2022, with a price tag of nearly $1,000. AR Glasses will follow the launch of the headset in 2025.

Apple has been working on its AR headset for quite a few years now. A report from the beginning of this year had detailed the company’s efforts. The first AR headset from Apple will be bulky, but it will be mainly aimed at getting developers onboard the platform. The company plans to use a powerful chip to handle the headset’s processing, with some chips currently under testing performing even better than M1 Macs.

The headset will be suitable for 3D gaming, watching videos, and AR communication. However, it will have limited ability to overlay and display information on real-world objects.

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[Via MacRumors]