Apple AR Headset 'Approaching Liftoff' as Development Mirrors Period Before Apple Watch Launch

Apple's development of its rumored augmented reality (AR) headset is beginning to mirror the period before the launch of the Apple Watch, according to Morgan Stanley analysts.

apple mixed reality headset mockup feature yellow
In a note to investors, seen by Investor's Business Daily, Morgan Stanley analysts explained that after years of building expertise and a number of setbacks, Apple's long-awaited AR headset is "approaching liftoff." This is evidenced by the fact that Apple's AR project is purportedly beginning to match the development of the Apple Watch before its announcement in late 2014.

The company has published a huge number of patents related to augmented reality and virtual reality, including hardware, input mechanisms, and user interfaces. Now, "Apple's patent portfolio is beginning to mirror the period prior to the Watch launch."

Ahead of the Apple Watch's unveiling in 2014, Apple heavily patented the technology behind the device, including iPhone connectivity and sensors, pedometer functionality and step detection, low-power Bluetooth, and more. While MacRumors has been covering many of Apple's patents over a decade, there has been a noticeable uptick in patent filings related to head-mounted displays in recent times.

For example, today, Apple was granted a patent for wrist-based devices, such as the Apple Watch, "to produce a virtual representation of the hands or otherwise be used to receive and interpret gestures as user input" in a head-mounted display.

Morgan Stanley highlighted that while Apple has faced difficulties with the development of its AR technology, the project is steadily nearing launch:

The enormity of the technical challenge — compressing daylong battery, 5G, compute, cameras, lidar, projectors and wave guide lenses into a lightweight, attractive pair of glasses — is hard to overstate, but we are approaching liftoff.

The note added that "Apple's entry into the eyewear market will be the game changer for all participants as the technology gets normalized and popularized."

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple's "mixed reality" headset will launch in late 2022 to early 2023, with a separate smart glasses device following between 2023 and 2025.

Related Roundup: AR/VR Headset

Top Rated Comments

DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
20 months ago

Like so many of these products it makes for a great demo but little inroads into usefulness.
That’s exactly what they said about smartphones
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
timber Avatar
20 months ago
So Apple is finally getting into the scuba diving market.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
20 months ago

This is an area where consumers are gonna see the benefits of Competition !

Meta vs Apple !
You are talking about this guy?



Attachment Image
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ratspg Avatar
20 months ago
VR/AR is coming..... fast. Sigh. Anybody wants to get together in the REAL universe, instead of the metaverse, just hit me up, lol.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AmazeSE Avatar
20 months ago
I can't wait. Other companies have made their own VR/AR devices but Apple's implementation is gonna be the best.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
20 months ago

Any App Dev who develops for Apple's AR Headset will ALSO, almost certainly, develop for Meta's AR Headset !

BIG difference vs ANY other market Apple has ever tried to get into !

Zuck will do whatever Meta needs to do try to dominate the market !

I'm NOT sure we've seen that before in ANY area Apple has competed !
I don’t think so.
No matter what Mark Zuckerberg does, Facebook will always be Facebook.
They’ve tried to get into their own devices before, their own phones, now their own headset technology, and it didn’t go well.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)