Although unconfirmed by Apple, rumours regarding the existence of an augmented reality (AR) headset developed by the iPhone maker continue to stack up. According to a new report, Apple has hired Meta’s former AR communications and public relations lead, Andrea Schubert.
News of Schubert’s new role was first reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter (via 9to5Mac). Gurman states that Schubert’s hire is the latest move by Apple in the AR space as it prepares to launch its first headset sometime in 2022.
Schubert has worked at Meta since 2016. Her role largely revolved around leading the AR, XR, Portal and research comms teams at Reality Labs, Meta’s consumer hardware division. She was largely involved in the launch of Oculus Rift & Rift S, Oculus Go, Oculus Quest and Quest 2.
Previous reports have said that Apple’s AR headset will take a premium approach to augmented reality. Rumours point to the headset featuring two 8K high-resolution displays and Advanced eye tracking. As far as processing power, Apple’s AR headset is believed to use an M1-based chipset. It’s also possible Apple’s AR headset may require being tethered to an iPhone, Mac or iPad, similar to early versions of the Apple Watch. The price for the headset is rumoured to be around the $3,800 CAD.
With Apple entering a brand new segment of technology, it’ll be important to nail the messaging behind the headset. Schubert has a proven history in launching AR/VR devices so her expertise could be invaluable to Apple in the new year and beyond. While the hype regarding AR and VR has dwindled compared to a few years ago, Apple may be able to still make a splash in the space.
Source: 9to5Mac
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