Apple is working on a device with which the company wants to enter a new product category. It was only due to appear in 2021, then 2022 – but could now be postponed to 2023.
Rumors have been circulating for years that Apple might be working on a virtual or augmented reality (VR/AR) headset. Most recently, there was talk of a start in 2022, but now the date could slide further back.
Apple is having trouble developing the headset
According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple appears to be having trouble developing the high-tech headset. While the new product was originally supposed to be ready for the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2022, Apple is now probably considering postponing the presentation by several months. The reason for this should be hurdles in the development of the device. There are problems with “overheating, cameras and software”, as reported by people familiar with the matter.
According to Bloomberg, it is not the first time that Apple is considering a postponement of the launch date internally. The headset was originally supposed to be presented in 2021 and delivered in 2022. However, the ongoing development problems could mean that the product announcement will not take place until the end of 2022 or even later. Delivery is therefore not expected until 2023 at the earliest.
New product category for Apple
Apple has been working on a mixed reality solution since 2015. While budget AR headsets like Google Glass have proved a flop, companies like Oculus (now Meta Platforms) and HTC have carved out a niche market with their VR headsets. In contrast to AR devices, which “augment” the real environment with superimposed images, VR headsets put users in completely virtual realities. Meta (formerly Facebook) even wants to create a completely virtual “Metaverse” that people can dive into and use for social interactions and games.
Apple’s AR/VR headset, on the other hand, is said to take the middle ground. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman cites sources at Apple that the company is clearly rejecting the Metaverse. Rather, the headset is intended for temporary deposits for communication, viewing content and gaming. It is also unlikely that the headset will compete with Apple’s own iPhone at launch. Bloomberg expects a price of at least 2000 US dollars (about 1757 euros). The product is therefore not aimed at the general public.
After all, a VR/AR headset from Apple could be the basis for other mixed reality products. There are suspicions that the company is already planning a lighter version in the form of “Apple Glasses”.
Continue reading: What is the difference between VR, AR and MR?
What could Apple’s mixed reality headset be called?
In his “Power On” newsletter, Gurman presents a number of possible names based on Apple’s past selection processes. The most likely variants are “Apple Vision” and “Apple Reality”. A new operating system could be used in the headset, which Bloomberg says should be called “rOS” – where the “r” stands for “reality”. The software is developed under the code name “Oak” and focuses primarily on communication and media consumption.
Industry insider Ming-Chi Kuo had already indicated in a research report at the end of 2021 that the Apple headset should have two processor chips. One of them is said to have the same performance as the Apple M1, which is used in the iPad Pro, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13″. The chip is said to drive two 4K OLED screens and enable complex 3D hand tracking.