Mixed Reality (MR) headsets function as Virtual Reality (VR) headsets that include cameras on the outside that can be used to display the real world to the user without taking off their headsets. Some view MR as the culmination and combination of Augmented Reality (AR) and VR. Augmented Reality is when computer generated images are displayed over the real world, like in the app Pokemon Go.
There have been whispers of an Apple MR headset for years. Many hoped that it would be unveiled at the WorldWide Developers Conference earlier this month, but the device failed to materialize.
Now, Kuo is pointing to a January 2023 reveal date. He believes the device will include a video see-through mode that will provide “an excellent immersive experience.”
The most popular consumer headset currently available is the Meta Quest 2, which does enable video pass through but only displays a grainy black and white image. There are better options out there, such as the Varjo XR3, but it is large, aimed at businesses, and expensive with a $6,000 price tag plus a yearly subscription fee.
It's expected that Apple’s device will be expensive for a consumer headset, with some estimates putting it as high as $3,000. For comparison, the Meta Quest 2 starts at $299. Apple’s device would still be far cheaper than enterprise headsets like the Varjo XR3. If leaked concept art is to be believed, it will also be much smaller and lighter than enterprise headsets and most consumer headsets.
Many originally thought Apple’s headset would be released this year, but a January report from Bloomberg indicated that Apple was having design issues that delayed the headset’s announcement and release. Those issues presumably have been solved because in February, DigiTimes reported that Apple had completed second-phase testing and production would start this August or September. That would put the device right in line for Kuo’s prediction of a January announcement.
Last week, while talking to China Daily, Apple CEO Tim Cook indicated that he is very excited about the AR industry, but failed to mention any upcoming headsets.
However earlier this year, references to “realityOS” were found in Apple’s AppStore upload logs. RealityOS is presumed to be the operating system that will run on Apple’s MR headset.
It has been rumored that the Apple headset will weigh less than the Meta Quest 2, while including dual 4k OLED microdisplays, high resolution pass through, face tracking and a new processor on par with its M1 chip.
Outside of the Apple device, Kuo also said he expects that Meta’s cutback on funding for MR/VR devices will provide an opportunity for other competitors in the market like Sony and China’s Pico. Despite Meta providing less funding for its Mixed Reality Labs division, he expects the industry to continue to grow and once Apple’s headset hits the market, it could create “the next stage of rapid growth” for the industry.