Apple Mixed Reality Headset to be Announced as Early as January Next Year

Well known Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, recently claimed that Apple’s Mixed Reality headset will be announced in the upcoming months, and probably as soon as January next year. There have been many rumors over the last few years about Apple’s supposed VR play, but it never materialized in the given timelines. But we know it’s coming eventually given Tim Cook’s future outlook, stating Augmented Reality to be a critically important area for the company. 

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以下是我於8月7日發布的中英文報告的截圖 (email被隱蔽)。 pic.twitter.com/sANFdGrel3

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) August 8, 2022

According to Kuo, the Apple AR/MR headset will be “the next revolutionary product” for the company. He also expects the pricing to be in the $2000-$2500 range, which is twice the price of the Valve Index and many multiples of the Occulus Quest VR 2. Although, the pricing might not be that high given Apple’s VR headset will be a standalone one without a base station. Other prominent standalone headsets like the Quest 2 retail for only $399, and can present Apple with a serious challenge.  

Ive balked at the prospect of selling a headset that would require a separate, stationary device for full functionality. He encouraged Rockwell and his team to redevelop N301 around the less powerful technology that could be embedded entirely in the device.

– Apple’s internal issues during initial development, Source – Bloomberg

Another interesting tit-bit from the report, Apple, with the first generation of headsets will test if demand for VR actually exists, and then the company will focus its effort on pricing and shipping more units. This can be a turning point for the entire industry too, as Apple has that market distorting superpower, where they can create demand at will. Before Apple, not many were interested in completely wireless earphones, but after Airpods, TWS earphones became the norm. Apple has the ability to do this for VR too, given they get the rest of the important stuff right, specially pricing. 

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