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More details are emerging about the design of Apple\u2019s long-awaited mixed reality headset ahead of its expected unveiling on June 5th. Bloomberg<\/em>\u2019s Mark Gurman<\/a> reports that the headset\u2019s external battery pack \u2014 which is designed to sit in the user\u2019s pocket during use \u2014 will have a similar design to Apple\u2019s MagSafe iPhone battery pack<\/a>, and will use a proprietary connector to attach to the headset.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This circular connector is reportedly magnetic, and designed to lock into the headset during use with a twist so it can\u2019t be accidentally detached. Meanwhile, the opposite end of the cable is reportedly hard-wired into the battery pack. The two \u201caren\u2019t separable,\u201d Bloomberg<\/em> reports. So if this power cable develops a fault, it sounds like there\u2019s no way of replacing it without getting a whole new battery pack. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n A proprietary connector one end, non-removable the other<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n These sound like sensible optimizations for the magnetic connector given it needs to be secure enough to withstand the movement associated with a head-mounted display, but also easy to detach and swap out when the external pack\u2019s estimated two hours of battery life runs dry (Bloomberg<\/em> speculates that Apple might sell additional standalone battery packs for exactly this purpose).\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The headset\u2019s battery pack itself apparently charges via USB-C, and has been described as having a similar size to two iPhone 14 Pro Max phones stacked on top of one another.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Alongside this proprietary power connector, Bloomberg<\/em> reports that the headset could also have a USB-C connector for handling data. The report doesn\u2019t offer many details on exactly what kind of data might need to be transferred into the headset, which has been described as a standalone device in the past<\/a>. Perhaps it\u2019s there to help with select features like helping the headset serve as an external Mac monitor<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Although it seems sensible to ship the battery pack with a connector designed specifically for use with headsets, it\u2019s a little funny to hear that Apple might be about to introduce yet another connector type into an ecosystem that already includes Lightning, USB-C, multiple MagSafe variants<\/a>, and the proprietary power cable the company uses for its Studio Display (which is technically considered non-removable<\/a>). It\u2019s not that I want to be able to plug all these devices into one another, but standard interoperable connectors make finding a replacement cable easier when they break over time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n