Apple VR headset uses eye scanning in place of Face ID

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The eventual culmination of Apple augmented reality efforts will be AR contact lenses
The eye is the window to your soul, and the key to your Apple AR/VR headset.
Photo: Skitterphoto/Pexels CC/Cult of Mac

Apple’s much-rumored AR/VR header won’t use Face ID or Touch ID. Instead, the mixed-reality device will reportedly scan the iris of the wearer’s eye to identify them.

Perhaps the feature will be called Eye ID.

Apple VR/AR headset will be cutting edge

Apple has yet to announce plans to release a headset with both virtual reality and augmented reality capabilities, but there have been so many leaks the iPhone-maker is virtually certain to do so. It’ll be the first time Apple has broken into a new product category since AirPods.

The latest leak says the device will “have the ability to scan the irises of people wearing the headsets so they can quickly log into their accounts simply by putting the devices on their heads,” according to The Information. The source is supposedly two members of the team that developed the product.

Other Apple products use Face ID facial recognition or Touch ID fingerprint recognition to identify their users. Scanning the eye is apparently a better option for a headset.

Once the VR/AR headset has identified its wearer, the user will be able to access their calendar, make online purchases, etc.

What we know about the Apple Reality Pro

Apple CEO Tim Cook actually teased the AR/VR headset during an interview this summer. And while he didn’t reveal any details, much is already known about its upcoming mixed-reality device, including that it will likely be called the Reality Pro.

An iris scanner supposedly won’t be the only cutting-edge feature.. Tipsters say it will pack three high-res displays, one of which will be external. It’ll be built around a chip on par with the Apple M1 to power its performance. Many types of sensors will detect the wearer’s surroundings and body motions. And all this will go into a device without as much bulk as its rivals like Meta’s Oculus Quest 2.

The company seemingly plans a media event in January 2023 to showcase the long-rumored device. For consumers, preorders could start sometime in Q2 2023. The AR/VR headset could finally hit stores before WWDC 2023. More versions are on the way after that.

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