Kuo sees a delay in the release of Apple’s Mixed Reality headset to the second half of next year
Ming-Chi Kuo pushes back his expected time frame for the release of Apple’s Mixed Reality headset
If Kuo is correct, we are looking at a 38% to 58% shortfall in units shipped next year compared to his original forecast range. And at the top end of the rumored price range of the device ($3,000), Apple could find itself short $2.2 billion in revenue. He adds that if it turns out that there will be too much time between the rumored January 2023 introduction and the actual release date, the unveiling will also have to be pushed back.
The headset could feature the powerful M2 SoC under the hood
AR uses a computer-generated overlay on top of a real-world view to disseminate data. A great example of this is “Live View” on Google Maps which helps those walking get to their destination by using a phone’s rear camera to show the user a real-world view of what is in front of him with large arrows placed on the screen to help tell the user where to go. Another example is the Pokemon Go app which uses AR to show players Pokemon right in front of them while they view their real-world environment in the background.
The Reality One or Reality Pro headset could end up with Apple’s M2 SoC under the hood. The product will track the head movement of the user and could sport as many as 15 cameras. The product is also expected to offer spatial audio or 3D audio. This allows the user to determine if a sound came from in front of him, behind him, from either side, above him, or below him.
Apple’s Mixed Reality headset will probably be the most complex product ever designed by Apple and demand for it, despite the hefty price tag, could be massive. As a result, losing a large number of units to the software issue that Kuo tweeted about might create a thriving black market for the headset with demand driving prices to a ridiculous extreme.
