The technology conglomerate has been awarded a patent titled “Head-Mounted Display Apparatus (HMD Apparatus) for Retaining a Portable Electronic Device with Display” from the U.S patent & trademark office, which marks its first step into the Virtual Reality space.
According to the patent, the headset – let’s call it Apple VR as of now – will be able to pair with an iPhone / iPod. The mobile device's screen can then slot into the headset's frame and act as its primary display – much like the Samsung Gear VR or the popular Google Cardboard headsets which required to you to slide-in your smartphone and enjoy the world of Virtual Reality!
The patent also covers a remote control device that could be used to communicate with the iDevice, since its multi-touch display will most likely be inaccessible from within the VR headset. However, no further official information on the features of the headset or which specific iPhone/iPod models will be able to pair with the device is given.
But, by the looks of it, Apple seems to be diversifying in its offerings from being just a creator of computers and mobile devices. If the iCar & the VR headset happen to be a few of the things Apple’s working on, we’re not going to be short of some really really fancy tech gear in future.
However, it's worth sounding a note of caution at this point of time. Many of Apple’s patented technologies never get to see the light of day, so, for time being we suggest keeping your excitement levels somewhat under control.
What are your thoughts about this new patent, express them in the comments section below!