Kuo: Apple Unlikely to Reveal Mixed Reality Headset at WWDC With a 2023 Launch Still Expected

Apple is unlikely to announce its rumored mixed reality headset or its new AR/VR operating system at next week's WWDC with mass production of the device still some ways off, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

apple ar headset concept 2

Render via designer Ian Zelbo

In a pair of tweets on Tuesday, Kuo said he expected Apple's headset to launch in 2023, and that announcing it too early would see Apple's competitors "immediately kick off copycat projects" and release rival products before Apple's headset hits the shelves.

Kuo's thoughts echo the most recent report by Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman in which he played down expectations that Apple would make a "full-blown announcement" of its headset at WWDC.

Signs of "realityOS," the long-rumored operating system believed to run on Apple's mixed-reality headset, were first spotted in Apple source code earlier this year, and rumors of Apple announcing its headset sooner rather than later were stoked at the weekend when a trademark for "realityOS" surfaced, with a foreign filing date deadline of June 8, 2022, just two days after the main WWDC keynote.

However, both Gurman and a practicing lawyer have since said that the trademark filing date deadlines are actually a legal requirement and that their closeness to WWDC is very likely mere coincidence.

Gurman previously reported that the launch of the headset will likely be delayed until 2023 following a plethora of development problems, including issues with overheating from at least one chip on par with the M1 Pro, as well as camera and software challenges.

Mac-related announcements are reportedly more likely at WWDC this year, according to Gurman, with the launch of a new MacBook Air with M2 chip one possibility, supply chain issues notwithstanding.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am 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 update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...

Top Rated Comments

Sir Ruben Avatar
43 months ago
I remember when the Apple TV (an actual Smart TV) was 'imminent' lol. Whenever it arrives we'll know about it from the hundreds of thirsty YouTubers who churn out videos with the standard shocked face thumbnails :rolleyes:
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ion-X Avatar
43 months ago
Apple Glass.
$3999.
You’re gonna love it.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
subjonas Avatar
43 months ago
Disappointing to hear. This is the rumored product that most has my curiosity right now. I’m extremely eager to see how this product will improve upon existing VR/AR products. I think there are a lot of great VR applications/potential for applications beyond games, but it’s had too much difficulty becoming mainstream for whatever reason. And AR has maybe even greater potential but AR headsets are barely even a thing. I'm hoping Apple’s product changes the game and brings both into the mainstream to really see the platforms develop.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
giggles Avatar
43 months ago
Yeah Apple is last-minute inviting (and during a covid resurgence at that) every tech influencer, every Apple podcaster, every youtuber and his dog to show them the new lock screen in iOS16.

It’s super important that they experience the new lock screen in person.

This will be a totally normal and even boring WWDC, that’s why they’re going out of their way to have press, influencers and some devs there, in a time when not even their employees are there in person most of the week.

Moreover, there will be plenty of opportunities to show off the VR headset in person during the year, it’s not like the pandemic and geopolitical tensions are unpredictable or something. They have every right and every reason to let this in person event go to waste.

I’m with Kuo on this one, keeping competitors from learning details they can already read in the plethora of published Apple patents about the headset (and probably hear from supply chain insiders) is more valuable than demoing it in person to the press or at least kicking off the development of apps for realityOS. There’s always WWDC 2023 for that, it would definitely be good for the headset to go half a year without third party software to speak of.

Again, you’ll hear nothing about realityOS and the Apple Vision headset next week.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Psychicbob Avatar
43 months ago
Maybe they’ll release the flippers and the snorkel first. The goggles will come later
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
senttoschool Avatar
43 months ago
Work from home

Sorry but you can't make something as complicated as a breakthrough VR headset and vrOS when everyone is "working" from home or doing hybrid.

This is why Cook is so adamant about return to office.

Could your customer support rep work from home? Yea.

Could your VR headset team work from home? LOL.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)