A render of a potential Apple headset [AppleInsider]
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is not “optimistic” about launching its AR/VR headset and has pushed back mass production to, meaning it may not get an announcement at WWDC.
The main concerns for Apple not being very optimistic regarding the market feedback to the AR/MR headset announcement,” continues Kuo, “include the economic downturn, compromises on some hardware specifications for mass production (such as weight), the readiness of the ecosystem and applications, a high selling price (USD 3,000-4,000 or even higher), etc.”
Whether or not the headset gets unveiled at WWDC in June, Kuo says that “”due to the delay in mass production for assembly, the shipment forecast this year is only 200,000 to 300,000 units, lower than the market consensus of 500,000 units or more.”
Recently, it was reported that Apple had decided to launch the headset in 2023 against the advice of the company’s industrial design team. Despite “huge pressure to ship,” that team reportedly wanted to wait until it was possible to make a lightweight, Apple Glass-style headset.
