Apple reportedly chose a standalone AR / VR headset over a more powerful tethered design

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Apple's rumored mixed reality headset seems like the worst-kept secret in tech, and a new report about the device from The Information is full of details.

One of the most significant parts of the story is Apple's decision to go with a headset. At one point, Apple hadn't decided whether to use a base station or a stand-alone headset for its more powerful virtual reality headset. According to The Information, Apple executives chose to go with the stand-alone product over the base station version, which included a processor that eventually shipped as the M1 Ultra. Similar details were reported in 2020.

The device's multiple chips had already been in development for several years, making it impossible to go back to the drawing board.

Jony Ive's continued consultation on the project's design even after his official departure from Apple is included in the report. I think it's similar to what Magic Leap offers. The battery in the headset's headband is unclear, and other prototypes have it, according to The Information.

The headset was shown to the board of directors by Apple last week. We could be waiting a while to try it for ourselves, since it might not hit store shelves until 2023, and it may not be announced until later this year. The Information says that Apple is developing a pair of augmented reality glasses that look like Ray-Ban wayfarer glasses, but they are still many years away from release.