Tag: headset

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Apple’s rumoured VR headset might be delayed

Apple’s long-rumoured AR/VR headset could be delayed until the second half of 2023 due to “software-related issues,” according to a new report from reliable tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Just last week, reports surfaced about the headset’s new platform called ‘xrOS,’ but it appears the operating system is suffering from issues. Kuo says that mass shipments of the headset’s parts will start in the first half of 2023, but that the actual complete device won’t be ready to ship until the second half of the year.

However, Apple could still announce its AR/VR headset at a March/February event, with the release coming later in the year. Apple has adopted a similar strategy with new device categories in the past, including the now-dead HomePod.

In the past, Kuo has said that Apple plans to reveal the headset in January, followed by a release in the second quarter of 2023. It’s unclear if this timeline has changed.

Apple’s mixed reality headset has been in development for years and is rumoured to cost $3,000 USD (roughly $3,736 CAD), putting it higher than Meta’s high-end Quest Pro VR headset, which costs $2,299 in Canada.

The headset is rumoured to feature a high-quality design focused on comfort, dual 4K displays and iris scanning technology.

Source: @mingchikuo Via: MacRumors

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Mobile Syrup

SteelSeries’ new Arctis Nova Pro line offers 360-degree spatial audio and a premium design

SteelSeries has announced its new flagship Arctis Nova Pro headsets, designed for console and PC. The Arctis Nova Pro line offers 360-degree spatial audio support, comfort, and AI-enabled noise cancellation.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is compatible with PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. The headset is available in a wired and wireless variations, so players can tailor their audio experience. Additionally, SteelSeries’ new headset is built around comfort. The Arctis Nova Pro features four points of adjustment. Users can adjust the height of the earcups as well as rotate them. Plus, the headset offers pivoting hangers and a tension band across the head. As for customization options, SteelSeries is selling Nova Booster Packs with 1 headband and interchangeable speaker plates for $45.99.

The available colour options are ‘Red,’ ‘Lilac,’ ‘Mint’ and ‘Rose.’

As far as audio feature sets are concerned, the Arctis Nova Pro supports 360-degree spatial audio through the content’s 5.1 and 7.1 surround soundtracks. It also utilizes custom speaker drivers with a dual-diaphragm design. SteelSeries is also using the new Sonar Audio Suite to deliver the world’s first pro-grade parametric EQ for players. Based on reports, this feature supports specific frequencies to pick up the sounds of footsteps and broken glass. This audio support can be critical when playing competitive games where pinpointing enemy locations is crucial.

On top of that, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro comes with some pretty neat premium features. The first is the new GameDAC Gen 2, which features Hi-Res Audio Certification. Additionally, SteelSeries supports a new Quad DAC. Players can adjust audio inputs, volume, and EQ by using the DAC’s OLED display. Players will also find a fully retractable mic. This microphone supports AI noise cancellation, ensuring those in your party can hear you properly. On top of that, the Arctis Nove Pro lineup features a dual battery system to swap to when running low. It also features Bluetooth and a dedicated 2.4Ghz connection.

Naturally, when sporting this amount of premium features, an appropriate price tag comes along with the device. The wireless Arctis Nova Pro is available for $449. The wired version can be purchased for $324.

Image credit: SteelSeries

Source: SteelSeries Via: Engadget

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Mobile Syrup

Conflicting reports emerge about the alleged demise of Microsoft’s HoloLens 3

Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens

Earlier this week, a report from Business Insider detailed divisions among Microsoft’s HoloLens team and sourced claims from insiders that the HoloLens 3 project (codenamed Calypso) had been cancelled.

In response, Alex Kipman, a ‘technical fellow’ at Microsoft and overseer of the company’s Mixed Reality division, refuted the claims on Twitter. A follow-up report from Business Insider cited more insider sources backing up the original claim, with one going so far as to call Kipman’s claim “complete bullshit.”

The original Business Insider report included information from over 20 current and former Microsoft employees and outlined divisions among the HoloLens team about whether to pursue hardware or software. The report claimed that Microsoft cancelled HoloLens 3 in mid-2021 and that the company’s recent partnership with Samsung caused rifts and drew resources away from HoloLens.

Kipman responded to the report by writing on Twitter: “don’t believe what you read on the internet.” He claimed HoloLens was “doing great” and pointed out that before Microsoft shipped HoloLens 2, reports claimed the company cancelled the project.

Business Insider followed up with a new report (via Windows Central) that countered Kipman’s claims. A source with direct knowledge of the product roadmap told Business Insider that “In no uncertain terms, Calypso was cancelled.”

“All of the people who were working on it have been distributed to other programs or have left the company. Microsoft might take the HoloLens 2 and put lipstick on a pig for another release,” the person said.

However, the cancellation isn’t necessarily bad news. According to the Business Insider report, Calypso was intended to be a “full-self-contained computer,” but the cancellation allowed Microsoft to refocus, specifically on the Samsung partnership and a potential cloud-based mixed reality device.

The device built in partnership with Samsung, dubbed ‘Project Bondi,’ is a set of screens in a headset and relies on a Samsung phone to act as the computer, unlike the HoloLens devices. That would be more in-line with the mixed reality and augment reality headsets competitors are working on — for example, Apple’s long-rumoured virtual reality headset will likely rely on an iPhone.

Ultimately, the future of HoloLens remains unclear. There seems to be no HoloLens 3 on the horizon, and Microsoft’s future headset plans appear to be moving away from the HoloLens models entirely. It’s possible the new headsets will use the HoloLens name, but I think that’s unlikely given the different foundation.

Image credit: Microsoft

Source: Business Insider Via: Windows Central, (2)

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s rumoured AR headset reportedly features 3D sensors for hand tracking

Instead of physical controllers, Apple’s often-rumoured augmented reality (AR) headset reportedly features 3D sensors designed for hand tracking.

As first reported by MacRumors, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple’s headset will include four sets of 3D sensors that are similar to the TrueDepth camera array included in the iPhone for Face ID.

Kuo says that the 3D sensors are able to detect objects and “dynamic detail” in user’s hands using the same technology that powers Face ID and that creates Animoji.

“Capturing the details of hand movement can provide a more intuitive and vivid human-machine UI,” says Kuo in his latest research note. He goes on to say that the headset’s sensors will be able to detect objects from up to 200 percent further away than the iPhone’s current TrueDepth camera system. It’s unclear if the AR headset will also feature physical controllers.

In the same research note, Kuo also details that the headset will weigh roughly 300-400g and that a “significantly lighter” 2nd-gen version with better battery life and a faster chip will release in 2024. Apple hopes to sell roughly three million units of its mixed reality headset in 2023, hinting that its initial release will likely be very expensive and somewhat limited.

This backs up previous rumours stating that Apple’s AR headset will cost in the range of $3,000 USD (roughly $3,812 CAD) primarily because of its pair of 8K displays.

Source: MacRumors