European Apple patent filing describes potential Reality One AR/VR HMD 'Continuity' feature

Published , by Sam Chandler

A European patent called “Multi-Device Continuity for use with Extended Reality (XR) Systems” has been allegedly filed by Apple. The patent appears to cover the use of Apple’s Continuity feature with its upcoming AR/VR HMD while extending functionality with hand gestures.

Patently Apple reported on March 2, 2023 that a European patent filed by Apple appears to describe the company’s mixed reality HMD using a Continuity feature. The patent, which can be viewed here, illustrates the view from a HMD with an iPhone nearby while the iPhone’s UI is displayed inside the HMD screen.


Source: Patent Scope

This appears to be an extension of Apple’s Continuity feature which provides users with seamless transitioning of information from one device to another. Patently Apple notes this could allow users to work on a document or continue reading using the HMD’s screen. Furthermore, the patent outlines a use case in which a user performs a hand gesture to pull a virtual replica of their iPhone screen out and into a larger window within the HMD field of view.

Word of this patent comes only a couple of months after reports surfaced that Apple was delaying its AR glasses in favor of a mixed-reality HMD. The Bloomberg report touched on the potential cost of this device, stating that it would sit around $3,000 with a cheaper alternative targeting a $1,500 price point.

If the reports of a WWDC23 debut are accurate, users could be quite close to experiencing Apple’s remarkable Continuity system at play in an AR/VR HMD. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest on Apple’s Reality One HMD.