Report: Apple’s MR/VR Headset Could Use Iris Scanning Technology

Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset will reportedly include an iris scanner to identify users currently wearing it. According to a report from The Information, Apple’s iris scanning technology will be used to authenticate users and allow them to log in to their own accounts and make payments.

The iris scanning technology is expected to match the functionality of Apple’s existing TouchID and FaceID technologies on iPhones and iPads. It will also allow different people to use the same headset, with the OS taking care of the account-switching process every time it detects a new pair of eyes.

According to the report, the iris scanners in the headset will use the same inward-facing cameras that will keep track of where users are looking. These cameras will also be used to adjust graphics quality in real-time, decreasing quality in the peripheral areas of a user’s eyesight.

Compared to Meta’s new Quest Pro headset, Apple’s AR/VR headset is expected to come with two downward-facing cameras to see the user’s legs in real-time. The report also says that the headset will look like “a pair of ski googles”, with a lighter design made possible by a combination of “mesh fabrics, aluminum and glass.”

Following years of development, Apple is expected to reveal its new AR/VR headset in 2023. It’s expected to have a $2,000-$3,000 price range, which would make it even more expensive than the $1,500 Meta Quest Pro.