Whoops! Apple just leaked its own Reality Pro VR headset in this new app

(Image credit: Ian Zelbo)

Apple's oft-rumored mixed reality headset, dubbed Reality Pro by some, has been outed in the preview of a new Windows app for people who need to manage their devices.

The new Apple Devices app was released to the Microsoft Store yesterday, and one Twitter user has already discovered that it includes references to the headset's software -- months ahead of an expected announcement.

A mixed-up reality

The Apple Devices app is designed to pick up some iPhone and iPad hardware management that the iTunes app historically has handled. Apple has already ditched iTunes on the Mac and is doing something similar on Windows, but owners still need a way to update and restore their devices. That's where the new app comes in.

But this new release also appears to have a secret: Twitter user @aaronp613 discovered references to "Reality OS" and "xrOS," terms describing the software Apple's mixed reality headset will use.

The app doesn't reference the Reality Pro headset itself, and it's possible that the name (put forward in August by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman) might change before the product finally ships this fall. But for now, it seems we know what the headset's software is likely to be called.

Also found references to xrOS pic.twitter.com/GkoTzRR5UpJanuary 11, 2023

The latest rumors claim that Apple will announce the Reality Pro headset soon, possibly during a spring Apple event. It's possible Apple will allow developers to test the headset and begin coding apps for it in June when the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is expected to take place.

Reports suggest that the first iteration of the headset might have issues, including the need for a large, waist-mounted battery pack. If that's the case, quirks such as that coupled with the expected $3,000+ price might make the first-generation model one to miss.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.