After years of speculation, it seems like 2023 is finally the time for the official reveal of the first Apple AR/VR headset. But exactly when this year remains unclear.
The latest schedule according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reportedly sets the headset up for a late fall release window. Kuo says software development tools and ongoing drop testing issues mean the device is unlikely to be announced until the spring or summer (WWDC?), with a late fall release on the cards.
Previously, Kuo had predicted a January media event for the headset. But his latest tweets indicate that Apple is still working on finishing the software tooling so that developers can make apps for the new platform.
Top comment by Rex Videos
Can someone please tell me the point of VR outside of gaming or a tricked out version of FaceTime? Meta has been working on this for years and is still practically begging developers to make a compelling use case for their device.
For Apple, gaming is out because they have never taken it seriously. And Apple has routinely failed at anything social (Ping?).
I just don't see how this is anything other than a real niche product. Revolutionary products require widespread adoption and more importantly, ease of use. That's what makes the watch and phone so great. They are essentially invisible yet omnipresent. Anytime you need your phone, it's there. Strapping a $3K device to your head and latching on a battery pack to your waist will not appeal to the vast majority of people including businesses outside of real limited use cases.
Let's not forget Apple has given us LiDAR on our phones for years and has basically done nothing with it.
I just don't see it. I get it from Zuch's desperation to control an entire ecosystem. But Tim has been talking it up for a long time now and it just feels like he's that old guy that doesn't know a lot about tech but saw a 3D TV one time and had to buy it only to never use it.
That being said, this is not necessarily a roadblock to an announcement. Apple could always unveil the headset earlier and make developer tools available at a later date. (Recall the Apple Watch was first announced at a media event in September 2014; a watchOS developer SDK was published a couple months later. The Apple Watch ultimately went on sale in April 2015.)
Perhaps more significantly is Kuo’s claim that the headset is also experiencing mechanical issues during drop testing. This is the kind of issue that Apple likely wants to resolve, or at least nail down, before announcing the product for real.
Earlier this week, The Information recapped its latest beliefs around exactly what the headset will be. This includes the news that Apple may require AirPods to be used as the audio output when conducting privacy-sensitive conversations, like during videoconferencing activities.
In general, the first Apple mixed reality headset is expected to be expensive and premium, featuring dozens of cameras and sensors, dual 4K displays, M2-based SoC, and a price tag above $2000.
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