Apple's upcoming VR headset will include five different categories of applications, including services for watching sports and playing games.
According to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the Apple VR headset will offer gaming, fitness, collaboration tools, new versions of Apple's existing iPad features, and services for watching sports. A wide variety of use cases as Apple tries to cram in as much as possible into its $3,000 mixed-reality headset.
Virtual reality and augmented reality is still very much a niche in today's world, so Apple needs to find a way to make the average consumer want and use its latest product. Gurman says that a significant effort to do that is by adapting iPad apps, including "optimized versions of the Safari web browser and Apple's services for calendars, contacts, files, home control, mail, maps, messaging, notes, photos, and reminders, as well as its music, news, stocks and weather apps. There also will be a version of the FaceTime conferencing service and Apple's TV app. The features will look similar to their iPad counterparts. "
Alongside these iPad apps we know and love, the analyst suggests that Apple is also working on a version of Fitness Plus to make working out as immersive as possible, as well as new versions of Freeform to collaborate with others differently.
Apple's FaceTime could also be used as a virtual meeting room for business. Bloomberg News reports that the VoIP feature will generate 3D versions of users similar to co-working spaces in Meta's Quest headsets.
Watch sports from the front row with Apple VR
Apple's foray into virtual reality could bring the future of watching sports to your home. With Apple focusing on bringing sports like baseball to Apple TV Plus with Friday Night Baseball, the virtual reality headset could be the perfect accessory to coincide with the viewing experience.
Imagine sitting on your sofa, turning to your left, and seeing another Apple VR user eating a virtual hotdog and spilling beer on the person below them. Priceless. We don't have long to wait to see these features and applications demonstrated with WWDC starting on June 5.
