It seems that Apple was holding out during its June WWDC conference. As reported in Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, Apple will launch a “deluge” of ambitious new products in late 2022 and early 2023. These new products include a mixed reality headset, new “core” devices,’ and revamped versions of the Apple TV, Apple Watch, AirPods Pro, and HomePod.
We expected Apple to debut (or at least tease) its mixed reality headset during its June WWDC conference. But as Ming-Chi Kuo notes, the headset has probably faced delays due to lockdowns in Chinese industrial areas. Apple may announce the headset early next year and launch the device in mid-2023, per Gurman and Kuo’s estimates.
Gurman also claims that the mixed reality headset will run an M2 processor, which is a bit strange. Most mixed reality or AR headsets tether to an external device (such as a smartphone) for processing, as on-board processing eats through battery life. And while the M2 is very power-efficient, previous reports suggest that Apple’s headset requires an iPhone for certain software processes.
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I believe Apple’s AR/MR headset shipping date will postpone to 2Q23 (vs. 1Q23 of market consensus) because Shanghai lockdown interrupts the development. As expected, there were no clues for AR/MR headset at WWDC 2022. Here is my prediction for Apple AR/MR headset schedule.— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) June 7, 2022
We’re obviously getting an iPhone 14 later this year, and Gurman expects Apple to sell four models of the device (Mini, standard, Pro, and Pro Max). Apple could also add its M2 chip to the Mac Mini, the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros, and the Mac Pro. (A new M3 chip is also in the works, along with a 15-inch MacBook Air.)
And while we’re excited to hear about a new Apple TV, Apple Watch, AirPods Pro, and HomePod, we don’t have much information on these devices. All we know is that the new Apple TV box could be more affordable than its predecessors, and that this HomePod will take the spot left by the full-sized HomePod that Apple discontinued last year.
Apple should host its iPhone 14 event this September, as it has in previous years. Some of these new products (probably the AirPods Pro and Apple Watch) will debut alongside the new iPhone, while others (like the headset) shouldn’t arrive until next year.
Source: Mark Gurman (Bloomberg) via Mashable
