Apple delays AR/VR headset launch again, now expects to unveil the device at WWDC
Apple has again postponed the launch event for AR/VR headsets. Originally planned for a spring launch, Bloomberg reports that Apple is now targeting the WWDC conference in June as the new launch date.
That's two months behind the previously rumored April release date. The headset, which will likely be called the Apple Reality Pro, will be Apple's first hardware foray into the augmented and virtual reality markets. The product has been in development for years, but encountered numerous hardware and software development issues in the final stages of its launch.
Of course, nothing is final until Apple officially announces the event. However, there are strong indications that Apple was originally targeting a mid-2022 debut. That has since been pushed back to January, then April, and now early summer, according to Bloomberg.
According to Bloomberg, the reason for the recent delay is multifaceted and stems from both hardware and software issues.
WWDC is Apple's annual conference where the company unveils its roadmap for desktop and mobile operating systems. It usually takes place in the first or second week of June. This year the company will introduce iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, tvOS 17 and watchOS 10.
The WWDC keynote has also shown Apple's hardware announcements in the past, so a headset announcement isn't out of the question there. Apple could also use the conference to tell developers why they are building apps for the new "xrOS" platform.
Apple's first virtual reality/AR/VR headset is not expected to be a huge hit with consumers. It features advanced technologies like advanced hand and eye tracking, a super high-quality screen, supports Apple's M2 chip, and houses more than a dozen cameras and sensors, which works out to about $3,000. The price of the headset chassis. Apple is said to be producing cheaper and more suitable headset models in the next few years.