Apple's AR headset will 'launch' in Q2 2022, says reliable analyst
Apple made loads of announcements at WWDC 2021 including iOS 15 and big FaceTime upgrades. As is often the case, new hardware wasn’t introduced, but at next year’s WWDC 2022 that could change.
Reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is reporting that Apple is aiming to 'launch' its first augmented reality (AR) headset in the second quarter of 2022. The product will mark Apple’s first entry into a major product category since the Apple Watch in 2014.
If the word 'launch' is being used in reference to an unveiling, the timeline in question strongly suggests Apple is planning an announcement at WWDC 2022. The company typically only holds one event in the second quarter, although an exception was made this year with April’s ‘Spring Loaded’ gathering.
Of course, an announcement in the second quarter of 2022 doesn’t mean the release will happen soon after. Apple typically waits several months between announcing and releasing a major new product.
If, on the other hand, Kuo is using the word 'launch' in reference to the release date, an announcement could take place as soon as September. That'd line up an earlier report from Bloomberg which claimed Apple would announce the headset in the 'next several months' at an in-person event.
The exact features and specs that Apple’s first headset will offer are uncertain, though rumor has it that Apple will initially release a mixed reality product that targets ‘Pro’ users and comes with a high price. Other rumored features include dual 8K displays, advanced eye-tracking, and a thimble-like controller that users wear on their finger.
A more mainstream pair of AR glasses should launch around 2025 and be designed to replace traditional eyeglasses by supporting prescriptions lenses and using a more lightweight design.
Could Apple's first AR headset debut at WWDC 2022?
Reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is reporting that Apple is aiming to 'launch' its first augmented reality (AR) headset in the second quarter of 2022. The product will mark Apple’s first entry into a major product category since the Apple Watch in 2014.
Of course, an announcement in the second quarter of 2022 doesn’t mean the release will happen soon after. Apple typically waits several months between announcing and releasing a major new product.
The original Apple Watch, for example, was announced in September 2014 and released in May 2015. The iMac Pro, on the other hand, debuted at WWDC 2017 and hit shelves in December.
If, on the other hand, Kuo is using the word 'launch' in reference to the release date, an announcement could take place as soon as September. That'd line up an earlier report from Bloomberg which claimed Apple would announce the headset in the 'next several months' at an in-person event.
The exact features and specs that Apple’s first headset will offer are uncertain, though rumor has it that Apple will initially release a mixed reality product that targets ‘Pro’ users and comes with a high price. Other rumored features include dual 8K displays, advanced eye-tracking, and a thimble-like controller that users wear on their finger.
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