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A New Report Claims Apple Will Make a Debut AR headset early 2023, with an improved version to ship in 2024 – but it’s not clear what the report refers to.
A supply chain report on Thursday details what is seen in the supply chain when it comes to Apple’s AR headset work. It’s not the first to predict two headsets coming soon, but it’s the first to postulate that they’ll hit the market within a year of each other.
The report claims that the first generation of the product will focus on gaming and “testing the metaverse” so Apple can produce a second generation soon after. It is striking that Apple has never uttered the word ‘metaverse’ in a public space.
The timetable is tight, with a reported year between the releases of the two. In addition, the second generation would add “call functions” and be lighter than the first version. Production volumes would be low.
The headset would also have an “OLEDoS” screen from Sony and LG Display. This particular form of display is said to have an OLED display mounted on a silicon wafer rather than separate assemblies to keep weight and thickness down.
The report may refer to developer preview hardware as the company will require third-party software support before launch. It has delivered this several times, with the first Intel hardware available to developers in generic hardware, Apple Silicon in a custom Mac mini case, and eGPU kits being made available before official support.
It is not clear whether the report on Thursday by means of ETNews originates from, or a combination of other recent reports. The venue has a mixed track record on Apple’s plans, extrapolated from supply chain moves.
While there were rumors that Apple might announce or preview its headset at WWDC 2022, it ultimately didn’t work out. In May, a report indicated that Apple’s mixed-reality headset has a “advanced” development phase — with the device potentially ready for release in 2023.
The AR/MR headset itself is expected to be a premium headset focused on virtual or mixed reality experiences and games, rather than dedicated augmented reality glasses like the so-called “apple glass†
Previous reports suggest that Apple’s headset will feature a pair of 4K OLED displays, 15 different camera modules, and a powerful chip more similar to the M1 than Apple’s A-series. It is expected to cost about $3,000.