Could Apple's Next Product Announcement Finally Be an AR/VR Headset?

Apple is no longer expected to announce any new Apple silicon Macs during the remainder of this year, according to reports. With no new Macs on the horizon for 2022, Apple's product lineup is "set" for the rest of the year, according to the company's CEO Tim Cook. Now, all eyes are on 2023.

apple ar headset concept 2Concept render based on purported leaked information by Ian Zelbo

Apple released many new products in 2022, including a completely redesigned MacBook Air, the iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro, new iPads, the Apple Watch Ultra, and more. One product missing from Apple's list of 2022 announcements is the company's long-rumored AR/VR headset, which has been in development for several years.

The development of Apple's headset, which may be called "Apple Reality Pro," has ramped up in the last year, and Apple's finally expected to unveil the headset next year after multiple delays. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable source for supply chain-related information, Apple will announce the headset in a few months' time during an event in January of 2023.

Other reliable sources have all indicated the headset will be announced sometime next year. Still, other than Kuo's report, no further information on when exactly Apple may decide to announce it has been reported. If Kuo's information is proven accurate, it would be the first Apple event in January since a special event in 2010, where Steve Jobs announced the iPad.

The headset will be Apple's biggest product announcement since the original Apple Watch, so Apple may decide to dedicate an entire event to the headset rather than including it at another event, such as WWDC.

For the last three years, a headset reveal at WWDC has remained a possibility since the announcement of the headset will likely include the revealing of realityOS, an entirely new operating system and platform for developers that will run on Apple's future AR/VR products.

Apple's last event of 2022 was in September for the ‌iPhone‌ 14, the new AirPods Pro, and a new lineup of Apple Watch models. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported last month that Apple had canceled plans to hold another event this fall in October dedicated to new iPads and Mac models. In a recent Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple held off with another event this year to save "marketing energy for the Reality Pro headset debut next year."

When the headset does get announced, it could be one of Apple's most expensive products. The headset is expected to be a niche product targeted at developers and high-end professionals, with a price tag of around $3,000. Apple is already working on a cheaper model of the headset, which will be followed by a pair of augmented reality glasses later this decade.

Do you think Apple's AR/VR headset is the next product announcement from Apple? Let us know in the comments.

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

Popular Stories

m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more. Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features. Liquid Glass Toggle iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. In the Settings app, under Display...
iPhone Satellite Feature

Apple Developing These 5 New Satellite Features for iPhone

Sunday November 9, 2025 6:07 am PST by
Apple is working on a series of new satellite connectivity features for the iPhone, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In this week's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman revealed that the new features in development include: Apple Maps via satellite: Navigation in Apple Maps without cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. Photos in Messages via satellite: Support for sending photos in the Messages...
maxresdefault

In-Depth iPhone Battery Experiment Pits Slow Charging Against Fast Charging

Friday November 7, 2025 1:19 pm PST by
HTX Studio this week shared the results from a six-month battery test that compared how fast charging and slow charging can affect battery life over time. Using six iPhone 12 models, the channel set up a system to drain the batteries from five percent and charge them to 100 percent over and over again. Three were fast charged, and three were slow charged. Another set of iPhones underwent...

Top Rated Comments

Pakaku Avatar
40 months ago
I'm just looking forward to it because the sooner they announce it, the sooner we can finally stop using that awful concept image...
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1557750 Avatar
40 months ago
Couldn’t care less about the goggles.

I’m just excited to see the snowboard that comes with them.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
40 months ago
I'm of the opinion that VR is a solution in search of a problem. So many companies have tried and failed in this arena.

I've seen reports that people in facebook hate the metaverse. I'm sure there's lots of varied reasons for that, but my take away is that its not enhancing someone's work but detracting.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sciomar Avatar
40 months ago

AR is part of the metaverse.
Let's not start that association up, everything needs to distance itself from that company. Apple needs to really hit this one out of the park and set itself apart.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BvizioN Avatar
40 months ago
VR I do not care so much, AR I am interested. But based on a lack of leaks I doubt any of these are close to being announced anytime soon IMO.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Karma*Police Avatar
40 months ago
If they do release it next year, it’ll be when the recession is in full swing.

Probably not the best time to launch an overpriced toy with limited benefits.

Also, a metaverse with only a handful of rich single guys doesn’t sound like much fun if you ask me.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)