Apple’s big developer conference kicks off June 5th, and all the signs point to the company’s mixed reality headset making its first appearance. The tech giant has been for years, and if the rumors are true, Apple’s stand-alone device (possibly called Reality Pro) may be more powerful than the Meta Quest Pro and many other high-end headsets. It could pack 4K resolution per eye, with full body-motion tracking. It may require an external battery pack and last for just two hours on a charge, but it would be relatively light and slim.
It will also likely land with a new platform (maybe called xrOS) designed with mixed reality in mind. Instead of controllers, you’d use hand gestures, gaze detection and voice commands to navigate. It sounds like Apple is approaching the cutting-edge of mixed reality, but that comes at a cost: Rumors suggest this first model could cost around $3,000. That’s three times the price of Meta’s Quest Pro.
We’re also expecting to see a new 15-inch addition to the MacBook Air series with M2 power, as well as the first look at iOS 17 and MacOS 14. We’re heading to the conference to report on everything next week.
– Mat Smith
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‘90s technology, now.
Land Rover
The company’s new Range Rover Sport SV Edition One includes Subpac-powered Body and Soul Seat tech (appropriately, BASS), with headrest-mounted membranes and transducers that deliver haptic feedback in response to lower frequencies in your music. Why not just make an integrated massage chair?
Jaguar Land Rover and Subpac claim the vibrations can improve your health through six wellness programs. The companies point to a JLR-supported study indicating that BASS can help you relax and reduce stress by increasing the variability of your heart rate.
Pros voted ‘overwhelmingly’ for a walkout to protest changes to the minor leagues.
Getty
The pro League of Legends scene has been upended after players in favor of a walkout to protest changes Riot has made to the minor leagues, marking one of the first major instances of collective action in esports. Now, the publisher has threatened to cancel the summer season of the League Championship Series (LCS), which would prevent North American teams from qualifying for the LoL World Championship. Riot has delayed the season by two weeks to resolve issues with players and the LCS Players Association (LCSPA), the group that represents them.
The new season stars Aaron Paul, Annie Murphy and just about everyone else.
Netflix has set a June 15th premiere date for the sixth season of sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror. This latest season has been in the works for at least a year, and creator Charlie Brooker has stated it will tackle sci-fi tropes the series had previously avoided, calling it the “most unpredictable season” yet.
There are AMOLED displays and improved weather mapping.
Garmin has just announced a pair of new high-end smartwatches intended for explorers and extreme fitness enthusiasts. The Epix Pro series packs a bright, crisp AMOLED display and “dozens” of new preloaded activities, like soccer, basketball, horseback riding, racquet sports. The Fenix 7 Pro series is for serious explorers, with solar charging, a powerful LED flashlight, mapping upgrades and a red safety light. The heart rate sensor also got a significant boost, with new optical sensors and sport-specific algorithms that track your pulse rate across activities.
This story originally appeared on Engadget
