xrOS for Apple’s Reality Pro headset: apps, features and more

At WWDC in June, Apple is expected to announce its highly anticipated headset with virtual reality and augmented reality features. However, in addition to the actual hardware for the so-called “Reality Pro” headset, Apple will also disclose the product’s underlying software platform. This software will reportedly be called xrOS, and it’s Apple’s first major new software platform since the unveiling of watchOS for the Apple Watch.

xrOS includes a number of revolutionary features for the Reality Pro headset, such as immersive media consumption, macOS integration, and more.

What does xrOS mean?

According to Bloomberg, Apple initially referred to the software for its Reality Pro headset as realityOS. However, sometime late last year it changed its name to xrOS as it got closer to public release.

xrOS is supposed to stand for “extended reality,” which aligns with Apple’s goals that the headset doesn’t completely cut people off from the outside world. For example, the Reality Pro headset itself will reportedly have outward-facing cameras to allow users to see around them.

Apple has registered several trademarks for xrOS around the world leading up to the announcement of the Reality Pro headset. There’s still a chance the company will opt for something like “realityOS”, but as it stands, all signs point to xrOS being the company’s ultimate choice.

xrOS features

xrOS will be how users and developers of the Reality Pro headset interact with the device. Just as iOS powers the iPhone and macOS powers the Mac, xrOS will power Apple’s long-awaited Reality Pro headset. xrOS receives software updates with new features and changes, offers an App Store for third-party developers, and more.

Apple has a number of different features in mind for the first version of the Reality Pro headset and the xrOS software. Bloombergfor example, has reported that Apple’s plans are comprehensive and include things like gaming, watching sports, watching TV shows and movies, fitness and meditation, and more.

One of the biggest questions is how exactly do we handle xrOS and the Reality Pro headset. Apple’s focus will be on Siri voice input, as well as support for interfacing with a nearby iPhone, iPad, or Mac. In fact, the use of Siri has reportedly been a bone of contention within Apple. According to one report, the team working on Apple’s Reality Pro headset reportedly became so frustrated with Siri that it considered “developing alternative methods” for controlling the headset with voice technology.

iPad apps will also be part of Apple’s strategy to increase the number of apps available through xrOS. Apple is reportedly planning to allow users of Reality Pro headsets to access existing iPad apps through the xrOS interface. This means users can access their favorite iPad apps through the Reality Pro headset, even if the developer hasn’t specifically modified the app to run in virtual reality.

For Mac users, xrOS will reportedly be able to communicate with macOS, allowing the Reality Pro headset to act as a display for your Mac. This allows users to see and interact with their Mac’s screen in virtual reality using their traditional trackpad or mouse and keyboard.

According to The information, xrOS will also allow anyone to create what they call an AR “app” with Siri, without having to do everything from scratch. This is similar to features already offered by headsets from Meta. For example, the Quest headsets have an app called Horizon Worlds that allows users to build 3D environments without coding.

Communication via FaceTime will be a central aspect according to the first version of xrOS Bloomberg. Apple has reportedly developed a new version of FaceTime for the headset that “will realistically display a user’s face and full body in virtual reality.”

Apple’s headset will allow users to switch between AR and VR modes, which will also be an important aspect of the xrOS software. In VR mode, the xrOS experience will be fully immersive. However, when using the Digital Crown-style switch on the Reality Pro headset itself, xrOS will gradually transition to AR mode, allowing users to see the real environment around them.

Other xrOS rumors include:

• Health and wellness features
• Gaming
• Compelling books and stories
• VR versions of apps for Safari, Photos, Mail, Messages, the App Store, Apple TV and more
• Immersive video and audio, including Dolby Atmos, and more
• Bloomberg: A feature designed to make Reality Pro users feel like they are watching a movie on a special screen in another world, such as a “desert or space”
• Support for productivity features such as Keynote, Pages, and Numbers

The future of xrOS

At WWDC next month, Apple will be holding several sessions and labs for developers to learn more about xrOS. This includes things like developing apps for the headset, learning how to bring apps from other platforms to the headset, best practices for designing a virtual reality experience, and more.

The important thing to keep in mind when Apple unveils xrOS next month is that this is only version one. Internally, Apple is reportedly well aware that compromises had to be made to get this first version of the Reality Pro headset and software out the door. Expect the company to make changes to the experience soon, especially as it begins to receive feedback from the general public.

xrOS will be announced at WWDC on June 5, alongside the Reality Pro headset itself and updates to existing software platforms such as iOS 17, macOS 14, tvOS 17, watchOS 10 and more.

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