Apple’s iOS 13.1 beta brings Apple's AR headset in sharp focus

Apple’s iOS13 beta has leaked details about the make-up of Apple’s long-rumoured Augmented Reality headset.

The Beta earlier revealed the code-name StarBoard and today developer xSnow has found information about the device’s field of view and was even able to activate a StarTester mode which emulated the hardware in the iPhone.

The iOS 13 beta revealed three AR headsets which would be powered via the GPU on the iPhone.

The three AR headsets are codenamed Luck, Franc, and Garta and have the following fields of view:

• Luck: 58 degrees diagonal (46 by 34)
• Franc: 61 degrees diagonal (47 by 40)
• Garta: 68 degrees diagonal (49 by 47)

All are considerably better than the HoloLens 2, which has a 52 degrees diagonal (43 by 29) field of view and also the Magic Leap One which is 50 degrees diagonal (40 by 30).

xSnow has managed to unlock the StarTester mode and posted the video of it in action below:

Confirmed, there's no artifacts on Xs/Xr, and whole experience is a lot smoother. It appears that I've launched StarTester mode on my X in spite of all hardware locks:) pic.twitter.com/cAjmmbFbxG

— Slava Gilevich (@__int32) September 20, 2019

The presence of the testing code in the iOS13 Beta suggests Apple is rather close to releasing the headset, certainly within the next year or at most two.

If Apple is able to produce a reasonable-cost headset powered by the phone half of US citizens have in their pocket, is there really anything to stop them from running away with the market? Let us know below.

Via Venturebeat, 9to5Mac