Apple slips up and includes xrOS reference in App Store Connect

Less than a week from the WWDC 2023 keynote, we might have discovered Reality Pro’s headset software name by none other than Apple itself: xrOS. According to developer Steve Troughton-Smith, he was able to fool the App Store Connect so he could send an app made for the unannounced mixed-reality headset to Apple’s system.

Although the app got rejected, Troughton-Smith discovered the name of the new operating system for the headset: xrOS. The developer explains that App Store Connect is using AppleInternal versions of the linker tooling, which already have been updated to recognize xrOS binaries. With that, he triggered an error message that showed the name of this system.

“Incorrect Platform: You included the xros arm64 executable in your ios bundle. Only ios executables can be included,” said the message. Although xrOS and iOS are not capitalized, we could safely assume that this is, in fact, Apple’s upcoming software for the mixed-reality headset.

Image source: Steve Troughton-Smith

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman was the first person to suggest xrOS as the name of the operating system for the headset. A few months ago, he reported that Apple used this name internally, and it would mean something like an “extended reality” operating system.

Interestingly enough, at the beginning of the year, Apple also filed a trademark for realityOS via one of its shell companies, which indicates that there’s another operating system focused on Apple’s Augmented Reality ambitions.

This xrOS operating system will bring VR FaceTime experiences, in-air typing, immersive video watching, Mac integration, an Apple Fitness+ exclusive app, and an iOS-like interface with hundreds of iPad third-party apps ready to be used with this new product.

The new xrOS system and the Reality Pro headset will likely be announced during the WWDC 2023 keynote on June 5. BGR will bring all the information as soon as we learn more about them.