San Francisco, Nov 1 (IANS): Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is reportedly planning to launch its long-rumored mixed-reality device as early as next year.

In the latest edition of Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman claims Apple is planning to unleash its own pricey device with advanced chips, displays, sensor, and avatar-based features as early as next year, reports Apple Insider.

The headset will include "both AR and VR capabilities, which could offer a "mixed reality experience that can handle games in high-quality virtual reality".

The upcoming headset would likely not be aimed at consumers, but instead be geared towards developers and business customers.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple's headset will lead the "next wave of user interface revolution" and change market consensus that AR/VR devices are mainly for gaming.

The upcoming Apple headset will be similar to the Oculus Quest, and some prototypes being tested include external cameras to enable some AR features.

It may feature at least 15 camera modules, eye-tracking, possibly iris recognition, and could cost between $2,000 and $3,000.

The AR headset is expected to sport a sleek design so that it is lightweight and comfortable for the wearer to roam around for prolonged periods.

It is also expected that the device will sport a high-resolution display, allowing users to read small bits of text while seeing other people in front of them at the same time.