Earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted that the company could be developing a product in the AR/VR space. Now, in a recent blog post, reputed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated that Apple could launch its much-0awaited mixed reality headset as early as January 2023.
In a Medium post substantiating the speculation, Kuo said that Apple’s first product in the AR/VR space would be a “game changer” for the segment. He says the product’s debut could kick off an increase in demand for immersive hardware and the “next stage of rapid growth” for the industry. The analyst claimed that the headset would “offer an excellent immersive experience,” evident from the company executives’ repeated emphasis on the significance of AR. Kuo adds that a “video see-thru mode could be on the cards as well.
Explaining the mixed reality headset’s significance, Kuo wrote that the product is Apple’s “most complicated” design and engineering feat yet. The analyst believes Apple’s hardware is superior to anything else on the market currently. Moreover, it could have “significant competitive advantages” over rival offerings from the likes of Meta-owned Oculus. Kuo reiterated that the mixed reality headset could single-handedly transform Apple into an industry leader in the AR/VR space. He added that other brands could start aping the iPhone maker’s design too.
Other Apple analysts including Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and supply chain publication DigiTimes speculate that the company has crossed key development milestones and tests. The headset is expected to enter mass production in August or September this year. So, Kuo’s speculation about the headset’s launch timeline could be accurate.
Recently, developers also found several references to the mixed reality headset in Apple’s iOS 16 beta updates. App Store upload logs also confirm the existence of a dedicated operating system for the headset, dubbed rOS or RealityOS. Make sure to check out our Apple headset rumor roundup to know more details about the industry expectations from the headset.
