Apple Rumored to Announce 'Game-Changer' AR/VR Headset in January 2023

Apple is "likely" to announce its long-rumored mixed-reality headset as soon as January 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reiterated.

apple ar headset concept 1Concept render based on purported leaked information by Ian Zelbo

In a detailed post on Medium, Kuo explained that Apple's headset will be a "game-changer" for the augmented-reality and virtual-reality market. Describing some of the headset's functionality, Kuo said that while Apple has repeatedly touted its focus on AR, the headset will "offer an excellent immersive experience" and a "video see-thru" mode. The headset is expected to boost demand for immersive gaming and multimedia entertainment experiences.

Kuo said that the device is "the most complicated product Apple has ever designed," leading Apple to use components from many of its existing suppliers. Kuo also believes that Apple will be an industry leader in the headset space, has "significant competitive advantages," and does not need to join the Metaverse Standards Forum. Notably, Kuo thinks that rivals will race to imitate Apple's headset once it launches, "leading the headset hardware industry to the next stage of rapid growth."

While Apple's headset was widely believed to be scheduled to launch this year, a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman cast doubt on the chances of the device emerging this year due to development problems. According to DigiTimes, Apple in February 2022 completed key production tests on the headset and reportedly plans to begin mass production around August or September. Kuo's prediction of an announcement in January 2023 therefore appears to be broadly in line with other rumors about when the device could emerge.

Regardless of the exact timing, Apple's headset project is believed to be "approaching liftoff," with the device mirroring the development timeline of the Apple Watch in the period before its launch. Apple's work on the headset's operating system, "realityOS," has been rumored since 2017, but the existence of the operating system was confirmed when references to it were found in App Store upload logs and Apple open source code.

The headset is rumored to feature a lightweight design, two 4K micro-OLED displays, 15 optical modules, two main processors, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, eye tracking, object tracking, and hand gesture controls, and more. The device's approximate price point is as yet unclear, but some reports indicate that it could cost around $3,000.


Update: This article has been edited to reflect an edit made to Kuo's Medium article. It previously said that Apple's headset would "likely be released" in January 2023, but this has since been revised to "likely be announced."

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

Top Rated Comments

LittleChief Avatar
23 months ago
I know there are a lot of naysayers for this product but this is a potential iPhone moment. A see it to believe it product. Apple's big product intros tend to be 10 years in the making. The concept has been around for a long time but nobody has done it quite right. The weight of the headset, the miniaturisation of optical components, Apple's processor advances, software and tools development via iOS and so many factors play in to this having transformative potential.

If you can take yourself inside a virtual studio/world with Mac-like capabilities, retina-like resolution and can communicate and collaborate 'face to face' whilst still maintaining a safe tether to your physical environment so they can feel connected as one and the same (and with M1/M2 style efficiency) then we're on to something!
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
swingerofbirch Avatar
23 months ago
Just in time to return that Christmas scarf and exchange it for what you really wanted.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
23 months ago
It really looks like a very slow game of chess. They have been developing tech (see: LIDARs, AR, SOCs) sometimes with modest short term gains, and everything looks like converging now into a grandmaster checkmate.

As always, the first iterations will be a laughing stock for pundits, but I fully expect Apple to redefine the technology landscape once more with this.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
amarcus Avatar
23 months ago
Announced in January and released in June anyone?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Leon Ze Professional Avatar
23 months ago
I can hear Craig Federighi saying: Just look at how beautiful these goggles are. We just can't wait to see this sitting on your face.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lostPod Avatar
23 months ago

prom videos will maybe look super amazing :D I can’t imagine and also other things like Grand Theft Auto 6.
Prom lol
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...