We’re big fans of beautiful Apple technology, but it’s been a while since Apple innovated with the release of an entirely new product. We’ve had plenty of rumors about things it could be working on, from foldable phones to an Apple Car. But new rumors suggest its next release could be a VR/AR headset.
We’ve been hearing rumors about an Apple VR/AR device for what seems like forever. While Meta, Sony, and Microsoft have all released VR or mixed reality headsets, Apple has yet to announce anything official. But one generally reliable insider thinks that could change very soon (for the best prices in Apple’s current range, see our pick of the best Apple Black Friday deals).
With Apple’s product lineup for 2022 now seemingly complete following the launch of the iPhone 14 Y apple watch series 8 Y apple watch ultra in September and the iPad 2022 Y iPad Pro 2022 Last month, Apple fans are now looking forward to 2023. In addition to the above products, this year also saw the launch of a new iPad Air and new M2-powered MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs. What we didn’t see were the rumored VR/AR headsets.
It was rumored that we would see an Apple AR/VR headset this year, but the project has reportedly faced several delays. However, several observers believe that the device will finally see the light of day next year. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has even said in a cheep (opens in a new tab)that the device will be announced at an event in January for a Q2 launch.
(2/2)1. TVS as of 3Q22.2. Media event in January 2023. 3. Dev Toolkit delivery within 2-4 weeks of event.4. Starting on pre-order in 2Q23.5. Hitting store shelves ahead of WWDC 2023.June 7, 2022
If the rumor is true, it would be the first time Apple has held an event in January since Steve Jobs revealed the first iPad back in 2010. But then an entirely new product like the rumored Reality Pro might also deserve a change from the usual. calendar. After all, it will be Apple’s biggest product reveal since the first Apple Watch in 2014.
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg recently said in his Newsletter “On” (opens in a new tab) that he believed that Apple was working on three headphones codenamed “N301”, “N602” and “N421”. He claims that the first of these will launch under the name Apple Reality Pro and will be a “high-end rival” to Meta’s upcoming Quest Pro. That would be followed by a cheaper device, the N602, and then the augmented reality glasses, N421, at some point later.
Apple’s last event was in September, focused on the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra. Many were surprised that Apple released a new iPad and iPad Pros in October without any prior events. Gurman suggested that there was going to be an event, but Apple decided to cancel it to save “marketing energy for Reality Pro”, again suggesting that the headset would launch soon.
There are also reports that Apple has hired Jack Schulze and Timo Arnall, co-founders of Playdeo, a tech studio that developed Avo, an iOS game featuring a smart avocado, to work on mixed reality projects for the device.
Reality Pro is expected to run on an entirely new operating system, RealityOS, and is targeted at a niche group of developers and other professionals. That makes it one of Apple’s most expensive products yet. Information (opens in a new tab) reported last year that it is likely to cost around $3,000. For more details, check out our roundup of rumors about the Apple Virtual Reality Headset.
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