- Kyle Chua
Apple’s Mixed Reality Software Gets New Name, Suggesting Headset Launching Soon
Apple has decided to rename the operating system of its soon-to-be-launched line of mixed-reality headsets.
Citing anonymous sources close to the project, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports the software is no longer being called "realityOS" and is now being called "xrOS" internally. The name is supposedly a nod to the in-development headset’s mixed-reality capabilities, with "XR" standing for extended reality, a catch-all term that refers to both augmented and virtual reality.
The Cupertino tech giant reportedly plans to debut the headset next year, along with its dedicated operating system and an app store for third-party software. All of these are said to be in development within the company's Technology Development Group, or TDG, a secretive unit led by executive Mike Rockwell. The operating system itself is being led by Geoff Stahl, a tenured Apple engineering manager who has previously worked on gaming and graphics software.
The report says the headset is expected to feature new versions of core apps like Messages and Maps. Apple also plans to release a development kit to let third parties create their own apps and games for the device. People familiar with the company's plans claim that virtual collaboration tools and a virtual reality version of FaceTime are being worked on.
Around the same time as the name change, a shell company named Deep Dive LLC has filed a trademark for the brand "xrOS" in several countries, including the U.S. The same company made trademark claims for classifications that include “head-mounted displays” and devices geared for “virtual reality and augmented reality experiences".
While Apple is already securing the necessary paperwork, there's no certainty yet that "xrOS" will be the final consumer-facing name for the software, with much of the project still under wraps.
Apple's push into this new space puts it in direct competition with Meta, a company that's banking on similar technology to bring its vision of the metaverse to life. The move could also set the company up with a new product division that, if successful, could help boost overall revenue.
Apple has decided to rename the operating system of its soon-to-be-launched line of mixed-reality headsets.
The software is no longer being called "realityOS" and is now being called "xrOS" internally.
The Cupertino tech giant reportedly plans to debut the headset next year, along with its dedicated operating system and an app store for third-party software