(Bloomberg) — Trademark filings suggest Apple Inc . can claim potential names for its long-awaited mixed reality headset, part of the tech giant’s push into its first new product category in years.
Applications were filed in the US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica and Uruguay for the names “Reality One”, “Reality Pro” and “Reality Processor”. While Apple did not make the filings, they follow a pattern the iPhone maker has used in the past, including relying on law firms the company has previously hired to block trademarks.
Apple’s headset is expected to combine virtual and augmented reality technology and put the company in closer competition with Meta Platforms Inc., the leading supplier of virtual reality equipment. It’s been seven years since the company last sought out a new hardware category with the Apple Watch.
A spokeswoman for Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple declined to comment on the filings. The trademark applications have not yet been approved and there is no guarantee that future Apple products will carry either name.
Still, there are hints that Apple is laying the groundwork for its expansion into headphones. Earlier this year, Apple-linked trademark filings under the realityOS name also surfaced.
The new brands are registered to a shell corporation called Immersive Health Solutions LLC that was incorporated in February, according to records obtained by Bloomberg News. This company itself was registered by another Delaware interpreter corporation, the Corporation Trust Co., which is typically used for corporate filings seeking to avoid detection. The RealityOS trademark was used by this same company.
To file the trademark paperwork, a process that began in Canada with an original application in February and in several other countries in August, the company behind the marks relied on several law firms ‘reputed and boutique lawyers in each operational nation.
In the United States, Canada and New Zealand, the filing included law firms that Apple has used in the past to register trademarks or for other matters. In New Zealand, for example, the law firm Simpson Grierson was used for the presentation of “Reality”. Apple relied on this same company to introduce the corporate name Apple Sales New Zealand.
Apple has long followed this same process to register upcoming product names either months or years before their official debut. The approach allows Apple to secure the names early with less risk of having to buy them from another trademark holder later. The company did not adopt the approach before the debut of the iPhone in 2007 and eventually had to reach an agreement with Cisco Systems Inc. by this name
Apple aims to launch its first mixed reality headset at the high end of the market in 2023, but the device has had issues with camera sensors, software and overheating during development.
If Apple is really behind the trademarks, “Reality One” and “Reality Pro” could be theoretical options for the new product. The company could also register multiple names in case it wants to launch a series of devices in the future.
Apple typically uses the “Pro” moniker for high-end products, including the iPhone 13 Pro, iPad Pro, and MacBook Pro. It has also put “One” on past offerings, such as its Apple One subscription bundles.
Apple’s first headset, codenamed N301, is expected to be one of the most powerful and expensive models on the market when it launches, and the company is already working on follow-up devices. Within Apple, the device is sometimes referred to as “Reality,” indicating that at least the term is under consideration for the product.
A later model, internally called the N602, as well as a lightweight pair of augmented reality glasses known as the N421, are not expected to launch until later this decade. Apple showed off the first headphones at its panel earlier this year, indicating that the device was about to launch.
The “Reality Processor” trademark could refer to a specialized chip meant for headphones. The company plans to use an M2 system-on-a-chip with 16 gigabytes of memory for the device, but it may need additional processing technology to handle high-resolution VR and AR graphics.
The Reality name would match the planned name for the headset’s software. The device will include its own operating system called “realityOS,” Bloomberg News reported. The approach would be similar to Apple using the watchOS name for the Apple Watch software. Apple already offers RealityKit, a set of frameworks for developers to make AR apps for the iPhone.
Apple’s headset is expected to include VR-based versions of Apple apps like Maps and FaceTime, as well as collaboration features for multiple users wearing the headset. It is also planned to focus on the consumption of multimedia content such as sports and movies in virtual reality and games. The latest trademarks also imply that the device may have health-related functions.
Apple’s entry-level headset will rival Meta’s upcoming Quest Pro, which that company plans to debut in October with features like eye and body tracking. Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Samsung Electronics Co. and other Apple rivals are also exploring their own VR and AR devices.
©2022 Bloomberg LP