What's in a name? If you're Apple, quite a lot. At least it seems that way, as the brand continue to file trademarks over different names for the operating system for their upcoming Reality Pro headset.
The Reality Pro – which signals Apple's first attempt at building an AR or VR headset – is arguably the most anticipated Apple device in years. Many are counting on Apple to deliver another iPhone moment, to bring the world of AR to the mainstream public arena.
They aren't leaving any stone unturned, either. Via a series of shell companies, Apple has seemingly been taking legal ownership of just about any variant of the name for their new operating system.
A total of five names have been reported: realityproOS, realOS, realityOS, xrOS, and xrProOS. While it is almost guaranteed that they won't all be used in a public setting, Apple are clearly looking to protect similar variants from being used by rival devices.
So which one is most likely to get the nod? My money is still on xrOS. It's been rumoured for a long time, and we've even seen images filed with the name in Apple's signature font. It also seems a little more in keeping with other Apple operating system naming conventions, like iOS.
It's certainly possible that some of those others are being held for future releases, too. realOS could conceivably be used for a device like Apple Glass, where the real world is overlaid with digital media. Similarly, xrProOS could be held for a future higher-tier variant of Apple's AR exploration.
There's no way of knowing for sure. But with WWDC 2023 just a few weeks away, we shouldn't have to wait long before we find out.
