Respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reports that production for Apple’s AR/VR headset has likely been delayed again. Kuo now believes that the supply chain will ramp assembly for the device in mid-to-late Q3 of this year.
The delay means Kuo now predicts only 200,000 to 300,000 units will be manufactured and shipped this year, down from original estimates that exceeded half a million units.
Kuo says Apple is not optimistic about the device’s market prospects, due to its high price (rumored to be around $3,000) amid a weak economic environment. He also says that Apple has compromised on some specifications (like its weight target) as it scales up the production process.
Kuo also questions whether the production ramp-up delays may mean that the headset announcement date is also pushed back. However, there’s no guarantee that is the case as we were always expecting a gap of many months between the headset’s announcement and it going on sale.
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple is targeting a June unveiling for the device, a claim that was repeated yesterday now that WWDC23 is official.
Apple’s first headset – likely branded the “Apple Reality Pro” – will be the culmination of many years of research and development.
However, it will likely have limited appeal to the general public and may be marketed primarily at developers and enterprise use cases. Apple is expected to follow up with future generations of the headset that will be more appealing to the average consumer, including development of a lower-priced model.
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