Apple AR/VR headset just appeared in this new Apple app

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The headset's software is named in the new Apple Devices app

apple vr and mixed reality headset fan render front view on blue background
(Image credit: Ian Zelbo)

A hint of the Apple AR/VR headset was just found in the new Apple Device app for Windows, thanks to eagle-eyed Twitter user Aaron (via our colleagues at iMore).

Apple just released new Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Devices apps for Windows 11's latest Insider Preview Build, the trio of apps designed to replace the aging iTunes platform that has long been obsolete within Apple's own ecosystem. It's in the Apple Devices app's code that Aaron found references to RealityOS and xrOS, the two operating systems rumored to be used with the Apple headset.

There's no mention of the headset itself, but the two software packages do match up with names given by previous leaks.

Rumored features for Apple's first-ever dedicated virtual/augmented reality product include dual 4K displays, an Apple M2 chip as its processor, and automatically adjusting lenses. Less appealing is the claim that it'll need a separate battery pack to run, rather than using cells built into the headset, as is the rumored price of $3,000.

There are still some gaps in the rumors though. For instance, we still don't know how you'll control the headset. There have been patents for a ring-based controller that can track your fingers and hands, but it's odd that there's not been anything more concrete from the leak-o-sphere.

The headset could arrive this year according to the rumor mill, although the earliest it'll possibly appear is the likely Apple spring event in March, with sales only opening later in the year. For now though, if you're a Windows 11 user, you can at least try out the new Apple apps on your machine. Maybe you'll find more AR/VR headset evidence while you're at it.

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Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.