Apple Reality OS: What Do We Know So Far?

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Apple has been making strides in developing its own mixed reality realm in a race against other tech giants like Meta and Google. And as of yesterday, the company is rumored to have been developing a new operating system for its virtual and augmented reality headset. In a Twitter post by Vox Media product manager Parker Ortolani, it was found that the trademark for “realityOS” is being filed globally on June 8, which coincides with this year’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

Interestingly, the trademark owner is a suspiciously obscure company called Realityo Systems LLC, which only has “realityOS” to its name and shares an address with one of Apple’s shell companies, Yosemite Research LLC. Initial filing was done on December 21, 2021, two months prior to “realityOS” appearing on Apple’s source code. This was confirmed by Twitter user @IAmMatthewDavis when he noticed the term on Apple’s OSS distributions.

Another striking coincidence is the deadline for foreign filing on June 8. This occurs a couple of days after the WWDC keynote, the same timeframe Apple normally files trademarks. In addition, another party filed “Reality OS” a week before December 21, and was met with opposition. A “RealityOS” logo—with an oddly capitalized “R”—was also discovered in an Uruguay entry on the WIPO Database.

However, the June 8 filing as evidence of the purported new operating system might be purely coincidental. According to the Paris Convention, the pursual of foreign trademark filings has a six-month window following the initial filing. And June 8, 2022, is exactly six months from December 21, 2021. But the other points of suspicion do hold water. And they connect to Apple’s bigger plans, which the company has kept under wraps for the most part.

New Devices in the Offing

The devices to run the rumored “realityOS” have yet to be officially announced by Apple. But, like its operating system, hints have been dropped by multiple sources on what they are.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has revealed that an upcoming AR/VR headset that can potentially be released late this year or in 2023, will carry two M1-type silicon chips, Sony micro-OLED displays, and independent computing power and storage. He also revealed that its price is comparable to that of a high-end iPhone. It may also integrate with Apple’s host of video applications.

Another part of Apple’s current throng of virtual reality trends is a pair of new AR glasses, projected to be released by 2025 at the earliest. Kuo speculated that it will be promoted as a mobile product, and, like the headset, will have independent storage and computing power.

The third device unearthed by Kuo comes in the form of AR contact lenses, which could be released after 2030. Although it could run on “realityOS,” the device would likely sport new technology that features “invisible computing.” However, it might not have independent storage and computing. In any case, it’s still too early to tell what to expect with the contact lenses.

The upcoming WWDC, scheduled for June 6 to 10, might shed more light on Apple’s plans for its AR/VR initiative, along with the technology and devices it is slated to release within the year and in the next few years.