With its seal broken by the release of ChatGPT last November, generative AI has erupted into mainstream society with a ferocity not seen since Pandora's famous misadventure with the misery box. The technology is suddenly everywhere, with startups and industry leaders alike scrambling to tack this smart feature du jour onto their existing code stacks and shoehorn the transformational promise of machine-generated content into their every app. At this point in the hype cycle you'd be a fool not to shout your genAI accomplishments from the rooftops; it's quickly become the only way to be heard above the din from all the customizable chatbot and self-producing Powerpoint slide sellers flooding the market. If Google's latest I/O conference or Meta's new dedicated development team were any indication, the tech industry's biggest players are also getting ready to go all in on genAI. Google's event was focused on the company's AI ambitions surrounding Bard and PaLM 2, perhaps even to the detriment of the announced hardware including the Pixel Fold and 7a phones, and Pixel Tablet.

To say that Apple's WWDC 2023 keynote was packed would be an understatement. The company introduced the Vision Pro, its first foray into mixed reality headsets, as well as a 15-inch MacBook Air. There was also an updated Mac Studio and Mac Pro, both of which use the equally new M2 Ultra chip. As you'd expect Apple announced significant upgrades to all its software platforms. It's safe to say the Vision Pro was Apple's marquee device at WWDC.

Apple's big developer conference kicks off June 5th, and all the signs point to the company's mixed reality headset making its first appearance. The tech giant has been acquiring headset-friendly startups for years, and if the rumors are true, Apple's stand-alone device (possibly called Reality Pro) may be more powerful than the Meta Quest Pro and many other high-end headsets. It could pack 4K resolution per eye, with full body-motion tracking. It may require an external battery pack and last for just two hours on a charge, but it would be relatively light and slim. It will also likely land with a new platform (maybe called xrOS) designed with mixed reality in mind.

Apple has set the dates for WWDC 2023, which will run between June 5th and June 9th. It's still an online-only affair, but there will be a "special experience" at Apple Park on the 5th for developers and students. While we expect to see software-centric upgrades, with iOS, macOS and the rest, this could also be when Apple finally debuts its mixed-reality headset. Rumors suggest it could be called Reality Pro or Reality One, and it's believed to be a standalone device with an M2 chip, dual 4K displays, advanced body tracking and controller-free input. It could be a pricey piece of hardware, even by Apple's standards, with some reports suggesting it'll cost $3,000. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.