Valve Might Be Working With Apple On A New AR Headset, Rumors Claim

Earlier this year, Valve officially rolled out the company’s first virtual reality headset, Valve Index: focusing fully on bringing a unique experience to the player, Valve even made the transition easier as HTC Vive controllers were said to be compatible with the new headset. Although the new product does show to only rank similar to its third-party counterpart, the Index does however feature more customizable options like interchangeable face pads and even suggests modified ones for your preference.

Looking at the release of the Index, we would have though Valve would stop there to only support their branded headset, right? Apparently that might not be where the company draws the line according to a recent rumor.

In a report from DigiTimes, the electronics outlet discloses that the video game giant could be collaborating with tech company Apple in creating an augmented reality headset. “Apple reportedly has partnered with US game developer Valve to develop AR head-mounted display devices.” Notably, the online newspaper clarifies that the two have worked together previously in 2017 on then’s eGPU support for SteamVR on iMac, but this latest partnership is focused more towards AR rather than previous’ VR.

Apple will cooperate with Valve on AR headsets rather than VR devices, as its CEO Tim Cook believes that AR can make digital content become part of the user’s world and will be as popular as smartphones with consumers. This has also promoted Apple to step up the development of AR software by recruiting more engineers for graphic design, system interface and system architecture segments.

The Taiwanese-based outlet previously reported back in May that Apple did disband first-parry development for an altering reality headset, that either being for AR or VR, and have since then looked to return to developing the device with an outside party’s assistance. Elsewhere, Apple Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in September disclosed that Apple have commenced agreements with third-party brands to work towards the launch of the unnamed headset. Furthermore suspecting that production for the headset could go into mass production in Q419 at the start of 2020.

Even more recent findings have discovered that code hidden within the iOS 13 update have also pointed towards Apple’s ambitions to creating a headset of the kind. In November 2017, Bloomberg reported that Apple’s untitled headset would run via the “rOS” operating system crafted through the company’s inhouse productions. The same report also reveals that users would control the headset through either head gestures, Siri voice commands, or even touch screen.

Initially slated for this year, the plans now look to release sometime next year. What do you think Apple could bring with their own augmented reality headset?

Source: MacRumors