Apple’s AR headset, rumored to be officially called the Reality Pro, has reportedly hit another snag. The head-mounted wearable was said to be announced at the company’s WWDC 2023 keynote, but according to one analyst, it has gone through another delay and is now expected to enter mass production in the third quarter of this year.
With mass production starting much later in the year, the analyst believes Apple will ship even fewer AR headset units in this period
Despite Ming-Chi Kuo’s earlier belief that Apple’s AR headset would be the most revolutionary consumer electronics product after the iPhone, his latest statement on Twitter shows that his belief has gone in a completely opposite direction. He says that he is not optimistic about the device creating that ‘iPhone moment,’ especially now that the headset is said to have been delayed again.
The latest update states that the AR headset will now enter mass production in Q3 2023, and that only means Apple will ship fewer units. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman estimated that the technology giant would ship around one million units this year, and even on those figures, he labeled the product a ‘dud.’ According to Kuo, the AR headset could see between 200,000 to 300,000 units, which is significantly lower than earlier predictions, indicating that Apple’s lofty ambitions might haunt the company in the future.
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1641406406107758598
The headset’s design team was previously hesitant to launch the product because these individuals felt that it was not ready. Unfortunately, their concerns were not kept under consideration, and with a rumored price of $3,000, we feel that critics will call it a niche addition to Apple’s lineup that is also out of reach for many buyers. Kuo believes that the AR headset will be priced between $3,000 and $4,000, which will be even more taxing on the consumer’s wallet.
Even with these potential setbacks, Apple is said to be deeply invested in this category, and to make matters for the company and the consumer less difficult, the second AR headset is said to be much cheaper than its predecessor and will likely appeal to a wider audience. It is unclear if Apple will preview the Reality Pro in the WWDC 2023 keynote, but we will update our readers in the future, so stay tuned.
News Source: Ming-Chi Kuo
