Following its Vision Pro mixed reality headset launch last year, Apple is reportedly looking to enhance its capabilities by making football broadcasts more immersive. The company is currently discussing streaming games directly to the headset’s display with Real Madrid.
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has confirmed this collaboration. The concept involves providing fans with a virtual experience of being at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, enabling them to feel the atmosphere of live matches even when they’re far from the venue.
“Everyone wants to come to the Santiago Bernabéu, and that’s why we’re negotiating with Apple to make it possible to wear glasses and watch the games as if you were at the stadium. It would be the Infinite Santiago Bernabéu.”
Pérez has not provided specific details about how Apple’s Vision Pro technology would work for football broadcasts, but it’s likely that strategic cameras with wide-angle lenses will be installed throughout the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. This setup could allow Vision Pro users to move their heads and view the action from different perspectives, creating a dynamic and immersive experience.
The recent extensive renovations at the Bernabéu may facilitate the implementation of such technology, making the stadium more compatible with advanced mixed-reality applications.
The Vision Pro offers limited options for sports fans, providing virtual screens for viewing baseball, basketball, and Formula 1 content through specific apps. However, these apps only replicate what’s available on a standard TV screen, lacking the immersive features hinted at in the Real Madrid collaboration.
There is no confirmed timeline for when this new broadcasting experience will launch or whether it will expand to other clubs and stadiums. Meanwhile, Apple is already working on future iterations of the Vision Pro, aiming for lower-cost versions and eventually introducing smart glasses that resemble traditional frames. However, those are still in the pipeline and may take years to arrive.
