Apple is rumored to launch an AR headset in 2022, but analysts predict it will have a sophisticated eye-tracking system and iris recognition.
The source of this rumor is Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with a reputation for predicting unreleased Apple products. Previously, Mr. Kuo stated that AR headsets will be released in 2022 and glasses-type AR devices will be released by 2025, but this is a follow-up report on the former.
Now, according to Kuo’s new report, a “sophisticated eye-tracking system” can detect where the user is looking, blinking, etc., and can even automatically authenticate the user with iris recognition.
Iris recognition is a method that uses the iris (doughnut-shaped pattern) in the human eye to identify an individual, and is a type of biometrics like Touch ID that uses fingerprints and Face ID that uses face data. There are already many examples of adoption in smartphones, including Samsung’s Galaxy series.
In addition, eye tracking will enable performance optimization based on the user’s perspective. The point is that the part that the user is looking at is drawn in high resolution, while the part that is not paying attention is low resolution to reduce the load on the CPU and GPU, and the highest quality VR / AR experience can be provided in the central field of view.
This is a technique commonly referred to as Foveated Rendering, which is also used in the Oculus series.
Kuo said he wasn’t sure if the headset would have an iris recognition feature. However, when user authentication is performed with a headset, it seems natural and smooth as “immediate authentication when worn on the head” rather than entering a passcode or preparing a separate fingerprint sensor.
Kuo expected the headset to go on sale in 2022 for about $1,000. There were also rumors that had a much higher resolution display than other VR products and a high-performance chip that surpassed the M1 Mac, but if all of them were realized, $1000 might seem cheap.