Apple blended actuality headset in 2022 — right here’s the way it might change the sport

Will Apple make the mixed reality headset mainstream? The company’s alleged high-tech headgear is slated to hit the market in 2022 and could launch Metas Oculus Quest 2 and other headsets.

I think the key to success won’t be gaming or passive entertainment; Instead, the Apple Mixed Reality Headset could change the game as an integrated fitness device.

Apple was slated to make its first dedicated mixed reality hardware the ultimate destination for Apple Fitness Plus, the on-demand workout service for $ 9.99 / month that launched about a year ago. I tried Apple Fitness Plus for a while but eventually found it difficult to follow exercise classes on my little iPad and iPhone screen. Sure, I could stream workouts to my smart TV or use an Apple TV 4K, but that limits the workout locations to my living room.

I want to work out with a headset that transports me to the beautiful So-Cal studios from Apple Fitness Plus in high resolution. Wherever I go, I could put my headset on and feel like I was in a gym without the worry of crowds and cleanliness. Since it’s already a feature of Apple Fitness Plus, I would pair my Apple Watch to see my heart rate and Apple Watch activity rings in real time on my display.

According to separate reports by Mark Gurman and The Information, Apple’s mixed reality headset will have external cameras that could be used for hand tracking and gesture control. This could be used to monitor the form of exercise and suggest corrections based on your relative position, for example for a yoga session. Then ideally for a strength training class, the cameras would let me see my own dumbbells and match the digital illusion with a dose of reality.

Training In VR – Can Apple Get It Right?

VR workout programs are nothing new. I’ve played my share of BOXVR and Beat Saber (one of the best Oculus Quest 2 games) to work up a sweat when I’m stuck indoors in winter. My colleague Kelly Woo also tried an Oculus Quest training earlier this year and found that VR exercise apps are both fun and effective.

While you can start the Fitness Gaming workout type on the Apple Watch to track metrics while using one of the best VR games for your workout, I would still prefer to visit my apartment building gym as it has some of the best fitness equipment with GymKit contains. I can lift my Apple Watch 7 onto the treadmill to automatically synchronize my readings – a convenience that Apple’s own VR headset could offer. If turning on the headset and starting a workout caused my Apple Watch to start tracking activity, I’d be thrilled.

Of course, I would be less excited if I prepared for the workout only to find that this so-called Apple Mixed Reality headset is out of juice. I’m already looking for enough excuses to skip the workout. Excellent battery life is critical to making the headset a viable exercise tool. The Oculus Quest 2 has 2-3 hours of battery life depending on what you’re doing in VR, so I’d hope Apple’s headset will last at least that long.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims the headset will have Wi-Fi 6E support, which will allow it to transfer large amounts of data with low latency. In other words, your iPhone or Mac computer could do all of the hard work for the headset and improve the battery life. This would dispel concerns about performing an entire workout.

Apple still needs more clarification to come up with the best VR headset for training, or just the best VR headset overall. It can’t cost more than a peloton bike. It also needs to be comfortable and durable enough to withstand physical activity and withstand sweat. If the headset really hits the market in 2022, we should hear possible answers to all of these questions in due course.

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