Kuo: Mass Production on Apple's AR/VR Headset May Be Delayed Until End of 2022

Apple may not begin production on its upcoming AR/VR headset until the end of the fourth quarter of 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a note sent out to investors. That would likely result in the device launching late in 2022 or in early 2023.

apple mixed reality headset mockup feature orange

Before launching the headset, Apple wants to have "complete software, ecosystem, and services," which Kuo cites as the reason why Apple could be planning to delay mass production from the second quarter of 2022 to the end of 2022.

According to Kuo, Apple has the "best industrial design solutions" for an AR/VR headset because of the headset's complexity and the need for a comfortable fit. Kuo also believes that Apple has more of a design challenge in front of it because the company wants to go beyond games with AR/VR software.

The AR/MR HMD requires much more industrial design requirements than smartphones because the comfort of wearing them involves so many design details. Therefore, we believe Apple continues to test the best industrial design solutions so far.

The key to the success of the HMD lies in the software, ecosystem, and service. We believe that Apple is positioning its HMD for various applications, not just gaming applications, so the challenge of building software/ecosystem/services is significantly higher than current products/competitors.

In general, Kuo expects head mounted displays to lead to the "next wave of user interface revolution" much like multi-touch on the iPhone. Apple will be able to change the market consensus that these kind of AR/VR devices are mainly for gaming, as the company "is the most capable of developing and promoting diverse applications."

Kuo previously said the AR/VR headset would launch in the second quarter of 2022, and before that, he believed the headset would come out sometime in 2021.

Rumors suggest Apple's AR/VR headset will be similar in design to the Oculus Quest, but with a sleeker look that uses fabrics and lightweight materials for a comfortable fit.

The headset is rumored to feature two high-resolution 8K displays that may be micro-OLED and a whole slew of cameras for eye detection, head detection, and other augmented reality functions. The headset will be reliant on the iPhone, and Apple is rumored to be experimenting with multiple input methods.

Apple is also working on a set of smart glasses, but the smart glasses are expected to launch after the headset, which will be Apple's first head mounted AR/VR device. More details are available in our AR/VR roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
LG UltraFine 6K Display TB5

LG UltraFine 6K (32U990A) TB5 Display: Pre-Orders Open September 30

Monday September 29, 2025 6:21 am PDT by
Pre-orders for LG's new UltraFine evo 6K display (model 32U990A) with Thunderbolt 5 support will begin on September 30, according to a major U.S. retailer listing. LG first revealed the 32-inch display at CES 2025 in January, teasing its status as the first monitor to support Thunderbolt 5. At the time, LG only provided high-level specs, but left pricing, availability, and full technical...

Top Rated Comments

Psychicbob Avatar
52 months ago
Only in VR can we “unsee” the notch
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghanwani Avatar
52 months ago
Finally some good news today.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
52 months ago
This is probably why they decided to step in and help support Blender.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djlythium Avatar
52 months ago
Someone, anyone, @AngerDanger , somebody please photoshop a concept of these with a notch somehow, because Apple seems hell-bent on notching everything these days. ???

#NotchoCheesy
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacLC Avatar
52 months ago

Given that supply chains are broken, what can be expected from a supply chain analyst?
Finally a believable alibi for bad analysis.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nozuka Avatar
52 months ago
I admit i don't yet have any idea what i would use this for.
But i'm sure i'll get excited eventually.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)