Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset To Feature Detachable Speakers?

Virtual reality and augmented reality headsets provide visual content to users using a head-mounted display (HMD). These devices, no matter how detailed the graphics they are capable of showing, are unable to provide audio or aural content.

Due to this, such HMDs are usually worn alongside a pair of headphones in order to complete the mixed-reality experience.

Apple sought to solve this problem by inventing a head-mounted display device that has built-in speakers. What's more, Cupertino's HMD will also have secondary speakers that can be adjusted or detached from the unit, depending on the user's preference. The invention is explained in a patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The patent, which was first spotted by Patently Apple, describes a “display system having an audio output device.” As per Apple, this display system will include a head-mounted display and “a detachable speaker unit” that is “detachably coupleable to the head-mounted display” so as to provide audio content corresponding to the visual content shown on the display.

Unlike the headphones normally used to provide audio content to go along with the visual content provided by older HMDs, Apple's mixed-reality headset won't have a headband to hold the detachable speakers. Instead, the speakers, which are found inside cups large enough to cover the wearer's ears, will be attached to the HMD by means of a new magnetic system.

The new magnetic system will securely hold the speaker cups in place, while allowing users to adjust them according to their preference. When the detachable speakers are attached to the HMD unit, users will be shown a menu and indicators that will allow them to customize how they want their audio content.

With the menu and indicators, users will be able to adjust volume levels, and will be notified if something of interest (in terms of audio content) is about to happen. For example, the audio system will alert the user if something loud, such as an explosion in a game scene, is about to happen. This will allow users to adjust volume levels accordingly.

While the patent invention surely looks and sounds cool on paper, its timing to market remains unknown at the moment. Apple is expected to launch AR headsets in the near future, but it's unclear if these will feature the audio system described in the new patent.