Magnify / Early demonstration of augmented reality by Apple using a smartphone instead of headphones.
Technical industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo offered the most specific forecast for the release date of Apple’s augmented reality / virtual reality headphones so far: January 2023.
Kuo has often made accurate, informed predictions about Apple’s plans in the past, based in part on information from sources in the company’s supply chain. On Thursday, he published a lengthy analysis of the VR headset industry and predicted that Apple’s device would “probably” arrive in January.
Kuo called the headset “the most sophisticated product Apple has ever designed,” noting that many current Apple vendors are involved in the product’s supply chain. He also backed other recent leaks and speculations that upcoming headsets will not focus exclusively or mainly on augmented reality (which puts virtual options in real-world space) rather than virtual reality (which immerses the user in a fully virtual space).
Kuo echoed other recent reports, noting that the device would support “video viewing” and allow switching between modes. In this way, he predicts that the headphones will be a boon to the immersive gaming industry.
The analysis was not exclusively for Apple’s headphones and covered other parts of the VR / AR industry. He pointed to several weaknesses in the mixed reality business at Meta (which owns the Oculus headphones, as well as Facebook and Instagram). He wrote that Meta is slowing down its investments, creating an opportunity for upcoming competitors such as Apple. He also suggested that Meta’s practice of selling VR headphones at a loss was unsustainable, a fact that could contribute to Apple’s ability.
Reports from Bloomberg and other reliable sources already claim that Apple is in the late stages of testing and preparing the device, naming a wider launch window in 2023.
Also earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook ignited speculation about AR / VR headphones in an interview with China Daily USA:
I’m incredibly excited about AR, as you may know. And the most important thing about any technology, including AR, is putting humanity at the center of it … But I think we’re still in very early innings about how this technology will evolve. I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunities we saw in this space, and somehow stay tuned and see what we have to offer.
A series of internal stories from The Information last month painted a picture of the development of the device, saying that it has gone through several evolutions, while Apple’s management has been discussing internally for the best way forward. According to the report, a stand-alone, portable concept that uses some variant of Apple’s recently delivered M2 chip has won a more powerful device that would require a base station.
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