Apple is still set to unveil its first mixed reality headset this year, but its more important follow-up product, lightweight augmented reality glasses, has been postponed due to technical challenges.
The company originally hoped to release AR glasses after debuting a mixed reality headset that combines AR and virtual reality, but that part of the plan has now been put on hold. Instead, Apple plans to follow up with a lower-priced version of its mixed reality headset in 2024 or early 2025, according to people familiar with the deliberations.
The changing plans highlight the challenges Apple faces as it expands into new industries. The company is betting that AR and VR devices could become major moneymakers, but the technical challenges of producing consumer-friendly products have plagued much of the tech world. . Apple’s original dream of providing lightweight AR glasses that people can wear all day is now years away.
VR headsets (a market dominated by Facebook owner Meta Platforms) offer a more immersive experience, typically playing video games, communicating in virtual conference rooms, and watching videos. Use for In contrast, AR glasses overlay visuals and information on the real-world view. It is hoped that users will be able to wear such glasses on a daily basis, but previous attempts at concepts such as Google Glass have not gained traction.
The higher price could also make Apple’s headset a more niche product. The first mixed reality device, expected this year, will cost around $3,000. The hefty price tag comes with an advanced high-definition display, 10+ cameras, sensors to determine where the user is looking, his Mac-grade M2 processor, and dedicated chips to handle AR and VR visuals. due to the use of
Apple aims to lower the price of subsequent mixed reality devices by using iPhone-equivalent chips instead of components found in high-end Mac computers. The company will compete with his $1,500 Meta mixed reality headset. This is the price Apple is trying to approach with its low-end model.
A trademark filing filed by Apple alludes to a dual-device strategy. The documentation includes the names “Reality Pro” and “Reality One”. The Pro name is likely an early model, and the “One” suffix is under consideration for a cheaper version.
The company is focusing on a lower-cost headset instead of the AR glasses that were due to be released about a year after the first headset, said the company, who asked not to be named because the project is still confidential. The spokesperson said. At one point, Apple was aiming to release the glasses in 2023, but he delayed the launch until around 2025. Now Apple is indefinitely postponing the rollout and scaling back its work on AR devices.
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on the company’s plans. On Tuesday, Apple released his new Mac computer with the M2 chip in his first product launch of 2023.
Apple shares fell slightly at about $135.80 at 2 p.m. in New York on Wednesday. Last year he was down 27%, but like other tech stocks, it’s set to recover in early 2023.
Apple’s Mixed Reality headsets use displays to create comprehensive VR environments and pass-through cameras to mimic AR effects. This is far less complicated than the technology required to create his AR-only device that resembles regular glasses.
Apple ultimately sees its low-bulk AR glasses as an alternative to the iPhone by moving the smartphone’s key features into the wearer’s field of view. Such devices allow users to check incoming notifications, get map directions, make and receive phone calls, and take pictures directly from their faces.
But finding the right chips, batteries, software, and manufacturing methods to create a lightweight product that can last all day is still a long way off. Apple’s first high-end headset lasts about two hours on a single charge. In contrast, phones typically last a full day or more.
For details on the battery pack, refer to the information previously announced.
The headset’s battery is also cumbersome, and to reduce the weight and heat risk of a head-worn product, the company chose not to include the battery in the device itself. Fits in user’s back pocket. Today’s technology makes it impossible to create lightweight devices with advanced augmented reality and built-in batteries that can last all day.
Most of Apple’s Technology Development Group (a unit of 1,000+ people dedicated to AR and VR) is focused on the first two mixed reality headsets. However, the company still has a few teams looking into the technology that will be built into standalone glasses in case it does eventually launch.
Some people inside Apple wonder if the company will ever ship AR glasses, but that remains a long-term goal. Both Meta and Alphabet’s Google have announced their own plans for AR glasses, but these products are also in the early stages.
