Apple’s upcoming mixed reality headset is rumored to feature two ports including a USB-C interface for data transfer as well as a new proprietary charging connector for the device’s external battery.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, while most AR/VR headsets on the market feature an integrated battery, Apple’s headset will connect to a separate, external battery that is worn at the waist, which allows the headset to be lighter and more comfortable.
Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter revealed that the charging cable that goes from the battery pack into the headset has a round tip that inserts magnetically. The round tip must be rotated clockwise to lock it in so that it doesn’t fall out during use, while “the cable itself connects to the battery pack, and those two pieces aren’t separable.”
It’s rumored that the external battery pack looks like an iPhone MagSafe battery pack and is “about the size of an iPhone but thicker.” The pack is designed to be charged via USB-C, and can be powered up using the same adapter included with the MacBook Pro.
It’s thought that the battery will power the headset for approximately two hours, and will be able to be swapped out for continuous usage while a second battery charges. Given the short battery life, the presumption is that Apple will offer additional battery packs for sale separately.
Apple is rumored to have dubbed the headset the “Reality One” or “Reality Pro” and is expected to debut the unit at WWDC this June, along with xrOS, the company’s new mixed-reality operating system.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.