A few weeks before Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, a new announcement for its mixed reality headset has just dropped. The helmet that should be unveiled during the event from June 5 to 9 could be equipped with an external battery to extend its autonomy.
It’s once again Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman who shared the news: Apple’s headset mixing virtual and augmented reality will be entitled to an external battery that can fit in the user’s pocket.
An external battery with a non-removable cable
As we know, the main problem encountered by current virtual reality headsets remains autonomy. Used without a wired connection, these very power-hungry devices can drain the battery in less than an hour.
To overcome this problem, Apple would have planned to connect the external battery to the headphones via a lightning port, right next to the USB-C port which takes care of transferring data to the PC. The connector would be magnetic – like the MagSafe on the iPhone – and a lock will secure the attachment to the cable. On the other hand, on the other side, the power cable would be directly integrated into the battery. Understand that the entire battery will need to be replaced if the cable is found to be faulty.
Boosted but unconvincing autonomy
Thanks to this device, the holders of the future helmet of the apple can benefit from an autonomy of two hours. This remains similar to the duration offered by its competing model the Meta Quest Pro, which also has its own attachable battery on a strap called Elite.
To prolong the immersion longer, it will therefore be necessary to bring other batteries. But since the price of these batteries has not been communicated, nothing says that the general public will be ready to pay more. As a reminder, the estimated price of the helmet is around 3000 dollars. The presentation is scheduled for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference from June 5-9.
