How Apple affects the XR hardware industry with their upcoming XR Headset?
Assuming they will release their MR headset at WWDC23
Two more weeks until Apple (supposedly) releases their first XR headset, and there have been tons of rumors surrounding this device. Some individuals, such as Palmer Luckey (Oculus founder), have even tried it and praised the device. I have no doubt that it is going to be amazing and could potentially redefine XR devices. However, my interest lies not only in the Apple device itself but also in how it will impact other hardware brands, similar to the effect Apple had when they released the iPad and Apple Watch. Based on all the rumors, I have formulated some predictions regarding how it may influence other companies in the development of their own XR headsets.
Disclaimer: On some of my predictions, Apple is not the first one to go with such approach, but the “Apple did it” effect will somehow validate those who have done it before (external compute unit for example), and this Apple effect may have more affection on future XR devices.
1. High resolution display rules
According to several rumors, Apple's first MR headset is said to be equipped with dual 5k MicroOLED displays offering a 120-degree field of view, resulting in a pixel density about 41.6PPD. If these rumors are true, it would make this headset one of the highest PPD standalone devices available. While it's uncertain whether Apple will label this as a "Retina" display, considering it doesn't quite reach retinal level (57PPD according to Apple tradition), they do own the "Retina display" trademark, so anything is possible. And for the industry, similar to when Apple introduced the first iPhone with a Retina display, we can anticipate other manufacturers following suit and releasing headsets with higher resolutions, potentially sparking a resolution race akin to what happened in the smartphone industry.
2. High resolution camera passthrough rules even harder
The ability to augment the real world with virtual objects using camera pass-through is considered by many to be the most appealing feature of the upcoming Apple headset. While this feature is not entirely new, I have personally been unimpressed with the camera pass-through experience on current mainstream headsets. The low resolution and strange distortions often put me off, especially when trying to read text from phones or laptops. It may seem odd, but such situations occur frequently, like when searching for a tutorial while working with an MR application. I have heard that the Varjo XR2 focal edition offers the best performance in this area, but I have yet to try it myself. Karl Guttag has written an excellent article evaluating the Oculus Quest Pro passthrough capability here. Again, in this regard, the Apple effect may help set the bar higher for others. Below is a photo taken by Karl Guttag in his article, we clearly need a big improvement to make passthrough usable.
Image: Karl Guttag
3. More tolerance toward external compute pack
High-resolution displays and camera throughput, along with scene tracking and rendering, place significant demands on computing power. Delivering a realistic XR experience has proven to be a challenge for standalone XR devices, and as of May 2023, most of the standalone headsets I have tried struggle in this regard. This is primarily because they typically rely on similar computing resources, such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR SoC. Merely adding a powerful computing unit to the headset is not enough, as it leads to increased heat generation, which then necessitates cooling mechanisms that can impact the weight and form factor of the device. However, by offloading the compute power to an external package, this challenge becomes more manageable. Having a waist-mounted battery/compute is not a big deal for headsets intended for indoor use, the same has been done by Magic Leap 2 by incorporating an AMD CPU and GPU into a sleek package, showcasing an effective solution. I will not be surprise if there will be a lot of memes on the internet about this compromise when it is released, but do expect there will be more headsets to come to have such waist mounted pack, this also put pressure on chip manufacturers to provide more powerful XR-oriented SoC.
Image: Magic Leap
4. Eye tracking and multi modals interaction
Eye tracking on current mainstream headsets is primarily utilized for avatar representation and foveated rendering. However, according to rumors, Apple is planning to integrate eye tracking into their upcoming headset for UI and virtual object interaction. If these rumors are true, we can expect updates to the headset that enable similar functionality. It's important to note that designing for eye tracking goes beyond simply implementing a cursor based on where the user is looking. Numerous factors must be considered to ensure an intuitive user experience that does not cause eye fatigue, especially in terms of UI interaction. Along with eye tracking, voice interactions and hand tracking are also integrated as rumoured, if Apple found the way to make this kind of interaction seamless, it gonna be a big deal for the industry.
5. Headsets that not fit all
According to rumors, the eye relief of the headset is reportedly so small that it does not accommodate the use of eyeglasses, unlike mainstream headsets such as Oculus Quest and HTC Vive. Instead, it requires the use of prescription lenses for vision correction. As someone who relies on glasses to see objects even from a distance of 1 meter, I am not a big fan of this configuration. Worse, the Apple effect may lead to more headset that not fits all to come. Bigscreen went with such approach (even crazier that the face mount is tailored for the individual) and look at how small it can be, Magic Leap also has done the same with their AR headsets. After all, the small eye relief will help deliver better immersive experience (better light blockage, also make it easier to deliver wide field of view), but is it worth it?
Image: Bigscreen
Extra: No more boundary
I believe that the boundary configuration will be scrapped on future headsets, with good environment awareness, this should be possible.
After all, I do have a high hope for the upcoming Apple XR headset, as the industry has been a bit cold lately, Apple could bring a new wind to the picture, and it can not be a bad thing. 
May 22, 2023
Phuoc Trinh