Alleged Apple ‘Reality Pro’ AR/VR Headset Parts Leak Online

As the expected launch of Apple’s first mixed-reality headset creeps closer, images of what appear to be internal components for the device have surfaced online — reports MacRumors.

So far, Apple’s first AR/VR headset has only been pictured in concept artwork. These images, however, give us our very first look at what are allegedly some of the headset’s innards. The images come from a Twitter user with a protected account, who MacRumors asserted “has a track record for sharing accurate information about Apple components.”

Three of the pictures show shaped ribbon cables that contour around a user’s eyes, and may be used to connect display components to a board. Another appears to show an array of three sensors or cameras along another flexible ribbon of a similar length.

Image: MacRumors

The original tweet containing the images was pretty cryptic, being accompanied by a “smiling face with sunglasses” emoji. That said, the timing is right for such a leak, considering a report from November 2022 pegged Apple’s debut AR/VR headset to enter mass production sometime this month.

Apple is widely expected to unveil its first mixed-reality headset, which will supposedly be called the “Reality Pro,” at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which usually takes place in June. The company has been working on its foray into the AR/VR space since 2016, and the actual hardware has been kept hush-hush.

According to whispers coming out of the rumour mill, Apple’s first headset will feature multiple 4K OLED displays, an array of more than a dozen camera modules, eye-tracking functionality, and more. All of that premium hardware will cost a pretty penny, though, with Apple expected to price the headset at a whopping $3,000 USD (just over $4,000 CAD).

The Reality Pro is also said to be powered by an external battery pack that will be tethered to the main headset.

Over the weekend, a report indicated that Apple CEO Tim Cook is pushing for the company to get its first AR/VR headset out despite internal objections from the company’s coveted design team. In the first 12 months of the headset’s launch, Apple is only expecting to sell about one million units.

Apple will reportedly follow up its first mixed-reality headset with multiple entry-level and premium options in 2025, which will presumably target higher volumes.

What features would you expect from a $3,000 AR/VR headset from Apple? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned for more Reality Pro leaks and updates as we inch closer to its official launch.