Could this patent hint at controllers for Apple Vision Pro?

Apple has been pretty adamant so far that its new mixed-reality headset doesn't need any controllers. While other VR headsets opt for small handheld controllers, interfacing with the Apple Vision Pro is done completely with hand tracking, eye tracking, and integrated Siri voice commands. However, a new patent filed by Apple could hint that the company is expanding the headset's portfolio.

We're yet to try the Apple Vision Pro since it's only launched in the US, so we aren't quite sure how it'll match up against the best VR headsets. Personally, I think the lack of tactile controllers in VR gaming scenarios would mean it'll miss a certain element of "feel" that's surprisingly important to that type of experience. 

While there's been no official word from Apple about plans for Vision Pro accessories like this, a new patent spotted by Apple Insider does seem like it's discussing controllers designed for the brand's headset. 

For clarity, the patent is filed by Apple itself, and mentions a "head-mounted device and a handheld controller for controlling the electronic device". The patent is titled "Handheld controllers with charging and storage systems", and was originally filed in July of 2023, around the time Apple Vision Pro was originally revealed. 

The document was then published on February 29 this year, but that lengthy gap between filing and publishing may signal that handheld controllers for Vision Pro could already be in development. 

The patent itself shows multiple diagrams of the invention it outlines. The controllers are described as "a housing with an elongated shaft extending between first and second tip portions" and the description says the housing may have "a flat surface and a curved surface", which makes it sound like a remote for the Nintendo Wii.

Conveniently, some diagrams show how the potential controllers could attach to the headset, and also charge by coming into contact with them. We've seen these small magnetic chargers be used by some of the best Meta Quest accessories, and the controllers for the Meta Quest 3. Other diagrams may hint that the controllers in question could have some sort of modular build - as one image even shows a controller with a pointed tip that looks like a giant novelty Apple pencil.

This is probably the best time to mention that just because a fairly explicit patent exists, it doesn't mean the product it's for will ever see the light of day. Plenty of patents have been filed by Sony, for example, which seem more like futureproofing for potential lawsuits than products they actually plan to create. This patent seems to be explicitly talking about head-mounted electronic devices and even mentions virtual reality technology by name, but not the Apple Vision Pro headset. Perhaps Apple is preparing long-term for a cheaper headset that it will release further down the line. 

The document reads "A system may include an electronic device such as a head-mounted device and a handheld controller for controlling the electronic device. The head-mounted device or other device may have a display configured to display virtual content that is overlaid onto real-world content."

In the paragraph labeled "Background", the patent gives the following synopsis:

"Electronic devices such as computers can be controlled using computer mice and other input accessories. In virtual reality systems, force-feedback gloves can be used to control virtual objects. Cellular telephones may have touch screen displays and vibrators that are used to create haptic feedback in response to touch input", it reads. 

Interestingly, this sounds like exactly the reason most people calling for controllers for the Vision Pro want them in the first place. Strangely, the patent also follows directly from that paragraph, giving the company's reasons against having them. 

"Devices such as these may not be convenient for a user, may be cumbersome or uncomfortable, or may provide inadequate feedback. In a virtual reality setting, it may be especially cumbersome for the user to charge or find storage for an input device without interrupting the virtual reality experience."

Apple Vision Pro has certainly missed a lot of the mainstream gaming crowd it attracted at first, but a lack of VR game support on the headset could potentially point back to the fact it doesn't support other VR controllers. Many of the biggest VR games on Steam and Meta platforms will rely on controllers to play them, and won't be developed with hand-tracking in mind. If Apple does have any interest in attracting this sort of market, maybe it realizes that controllers are the key.

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