Top Apple analyst now says to expect 15 cameras on the company’s mixed reality device along with “innovative biometrics”
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple’s mixed reality headset will cost as much as a high-end iPhone
Kuo actually has a roadmap for Apple’s headsets with the mixed reality device coming out in 2022 followed by Apple Glass in 2025. Last month, The Information claimed to have seen images of a late stage prototype and said that the product will feature more than a dozen cameras (and yes, more than a dozen does include 15) and a pair of ultra-high-definition 8K displays. The mixed-reality device also is equipped with eye-tracking technology according to that story in The Information. One description of the product says that it has the “ability to combine virtual reality experiences with games and other applications that use real-life objects surrounding the person wearing the headset.”
The design of the headset includes a “sleek, curved visor attached to the face by a mesh material and swappable headbands,” The Information says, and will be priced at $3,000. That is triple the price that Kuo is forecasting. The latter said that the mixed reality product will cost the same as a high-end iPhone. Kuo’s note from last week did point out that the headset would do its own processing on board and will not have to rely on a nearby iPhone to handle complex tasks. He also said that prototypes weigh in at 200-300 grams but could be reduced to 100-200 grams if some technical improvements can be made. At the lighter weight, Apple’s product would weigh less than most rival headsets.
If Kuo is right and the mixed reality headset is released in 2022, the earliest we might see them is next March. Apple seems to be unveiling its new devices in March and September which is every six months.
While the mixed reality headset will focus on AR and VR, the Apple Glass is expected to focus on AR. Kuo says that the glasses will be released in 2025
