Apple AR/VR headset clues may have been spotted in trademark applications for ‘Reality’ brands

Apple has been tight-lipped about its long-rumored AR/VR headset, but recent trademark filings might provide more clues about the product. The company, through law firms and shell corporations, has reportedly filed trademark applications for several brands carrying the name “Reality.”

Trademark applications for the names “Reality One,” “Reality Pro,” and “Reality Processor” were filed in Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Europe, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay, Bloomberg reported. While the parties that filed these applications are not Apple, the publication noted that this is a familiar strategy Apple has used in the past to register a trademark for an upcoming product.

The same report found that the filings for the “Reality” names were filed in New Zealand by the Simpson Grierson law firm. Bloomberg recalled the same firm was used by the iPhone maker to file for the name Apple Sales New Zealand. Similar patterns were observed in the applications filed in Canada and the US.

The trademarks were not granted yet at the time of the report, so there is still a chance that Apple would end up not using these names for its AR/VR headset or any related products. But this would not be the first time that the name “Reality” has been attached to the headset. Apple was also rumored to have filed a trademark for the name “realityOS” using a similar strategy for the more recent filings. It has since sparked speculations that the Apple AR/VR headset’s operating system could be named realityOS.

While nothing is certain yet with regards to the Apple AR/VR headset branding, the names appear to follow familiar brand strategies for other Apple products. And this might provide some clues on how Apple could later use these names. The company usually reserves the name “Pro” for its higher-end products, such as iPhone Pro, iPad Pro, and MacBook Pro. Meanwhile, “One” is famously used for the Apple One subscription.

The “Reality Processor” name is speculated to be used for a potential chip specifically designed for the Apple AR/VR headset. Bloomberg has also reported that the tech giant had been considering using the M2 chip for the headset. But if the product is designed to watch media content in VR, it would not be surprising if Apple introduces a co-processor for additional computing power for the graphical requirement of VR and AR content.

The Apple AR/VR headset has appeared in more headlines in recent months, but it is not expected to be included in Apple’s “Far out” event on Sept. 7. But reports suggest it could be released sometime in 2023.

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