Metaverse Beware: Apple May Be Working on Its Own Virtual World

Multiple job listings posted over the past few months seem to indicate that Apple is building its own metaverse of a sort. 

Apple has long been rumored to be developing a mixed-reality headset to rival the Oculus Quest Pro and the HoloLens 2, but now Bloomberg reports that the company is also creating a hub for augmented and virtual reality worlds to accompany the device. 

The company's internal Technology Development Group (TDG) has been steadily announcing suspicious job postings. They are looking for software producers well-versed in augmented and virtual environments and engineers that can work on development tools geared toward VR/AR. 

One job listing even calls for developing a "3D mixed-reality world," which sounds a lot like the metaverse, though it is unlikely Apple will ever call it that. Bloomberg suggests these job listings are part of the operating system behind Apple's allegedly forthcoming mixed-reality headset, dubbed internally as RealityOS. 

Though Apple's mixed-reality headset has yet to be officially announced, some specs and factoids are still floating around. Bloomberg reports that the high-end headset will likely cost between $2,000 and $3,000, as it will include a Mac-level M2 chip, nearly a dozen cameras placed inside and outside the device, and an ultra-high-resolution display. 

Reports also indicate that the RealityOS operating system will include mixed-reality versions of popular Apple apps like Messages, FaceTime, Maps, and more.

Apple has not announced an official name for the product, but trademark filings point to Reality Pro or Reality One as likely candidates. This naming pattern fits, as Apple's pre-existing AR development tool suite is called RealityKit. Bloomberg says the headset will launch next year.