What you need to know

  • More evidence of an Apple AR headset has appeared in the iOS 13 GM.
  • The iOS 13 GM includes the new Starboard system shell to run stereo AR apps.
  • One developer believes Apple canned the announcement at the last minute.

Over the past few years, we've heard murmurs about Apple's supposed AR headset. Now, thanks to the release of the iOS 13 GM, we have our best evidence yet that something is in development.

Uncovered by developer Steven Troughton-Smith, several references to an AR headset are found, and there are even details describing how the whole system works. Troughton-Smith's findings are backed by 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also chimes in, saying the evidence serves as confirmation that Apple is developing an AR headset.

There's so much evidence, in fact, that Rambo believes Apple meant to teases the headset at its iPhone 11 Pro event, but canned the announcement at the last minute

The Starboard shell describes an AR headset capable of running stereo AR apps. Content is apparently offloaded to an external display, similar to CarPlay. There are also references to a motion controller meant to be used with the rumored device; the controller may include a trackpad, trigger button, and home button.

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Apple is typically very secretive when it comes to future products, but clearly something was overlooked in this instance.

Apple is rumored to have another event in October, where we might get our first glimpse at its rumored AR headset.