Apple's Rumored AR Headset To Feature Eye Tracking, Iris Recognition For Payments: Analyst

A rumored Apple Inc AAPL augmented reality headset will contain eye-tracking technology for user input, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple Insider reported Friday.

What Happened: The analyst who tracks the Tim Cook-led tech giant revealed that the AR headset will come equipped with a transmitter and a receiver to track eye movements coupled with related physical information, according to Apple Insider.

Kuo reportedly expressed the belief that eye movement tracking will soon become the most vital human-machine interface technology for both AR and VR wearables.

Pointing to the existing use of handheld controllers, Kuo wrote, “The biggest challenge with this type of operation is that it does not provide a smooth user experience. We believe that if the HMD uses an eye-tracking system, there will be several advantages."

Users would be able to activate menus by blinking or access information on a particular object by staring at it, as per Kuo.

Why It Matters: The analyst also said that the Cupertino, California-based tech giant may build some type of iris recognition technology for biometric identification in its AR unit, reported Apple Insider.

See Also: Apple's VR Device To Cost $3,000 And Feature Changeable Headbands: Report

The iris recognition could potentially be used for user authentication and Apple Pay transactions.

Kuo predicted previously that AR/MR headset will ship in 2022 for the estimated price of $1,000, followed by “Apple Glass” in 2025 and contact lenses after 2030, noted Apple Insider.

Price Action: Apple shares closed nearly 3.4% lower at $120.53 on Thursday.

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