Apple zealously guards details of new or updated products before their introduction. Supposed leaks covered by the media are generally nothing more than best guesses by analysts who closely follow the company. However, one recent rumor caught our eye as it makes sense.
In February, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple a patent for an augmented reality headset with eye-tracking technology and iris biometrics. One analyst predicts Apple, which already uses fingerprint and facial recognition on other products, wants to create a headset with iris recognition as the equivalent technology for purchasing 3D games, streaming video and video conferencing via Apple Pay and a dedicated app store. If the rumored AR headset becomes a reality, it makes sense to count on iris biometrics to enable users to get information and make purchases without significantly interrupting play.
The headset also may eliminate hand controllers by tracking eye movements with a transmitter linking linked to a base station.
This this shows a commitment to the technology by one of the largest and most highly valued companies in the world. It means putting iris recognition technology in the hands and homes of millions of consumers. And it’s proof that Apple values iris recognition and believes it’s customers will be comfortable using it in their daily lives.
Apple helped bring biometrics to the mainstream in 2013 with the introduction of fingerprint-based Touch ID on millions of smartphones. In today’s pandemic era, a touchless technology, such as iris recognition, simply makes sense. And iris recognition is ideal for a gaming headset that requires the most accurate and fast biometric technology available.
The analyst predicts the headset will ship in 2022 and cost about $1,000.