Mass Production of Apple's Mixed-Reality Headset Said to Begin in March 2023

Apple is moving forward on development of its mixed-reality headset with Pegatron set to be the exclusive partner for final assembly, according to DigiTimes. Based on the headset's current status in the manufacturing validation process, the report predicts that mass production is likely to begin in March 2023 with an unveiling possibly being held the following month.

apple mixed reality headset mockup feature blue
Initial production is said to be very limited, with a high price point limiting Apple's first headset mainly to commercial markets.

Industry sources stated this XR headset mainly targets the commercial markets. The price is higher and the shipment quantity is limited. Previous estimates said that the annual shipment for this device would reach 2.5 million units. However, right now, rough estimates placed the annual shipment at around 0.7 to 0.8 million units. For supply chain manufacturers that benefit from quantity, this is not a particularly profitable order.

Despite low profitability on production of the initial headset, Apple's manufacturing partners are said to be willing to work with Apple on the project to prove their technical capabilities so they will be well positioned for future AR/VR products. Apple's brand recognition also makes it easier for the firms to raise money in capital markets to fund their activities.

Apple has been working on augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality headsets for a number of years, but has reportedly faced some development struggles that have slowed its progress. While earlier rumors had suggested Apple might show off the headset at some point during 2022, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in June that Apple would likely target a January 2023 introduction.

Today's report from DigiTimes may not necessarily significantly differ from Kuo's, as Kuo suggested that pre-orders would not begin until the second quarter of 2023 with shipments beginning by WWDC in June.

Consequently, both Kuo and ‌DigiTimes‌ appear to be citing similar time frames for mass production, with differences in expected introduction timing (January for Kuo and April for ‌DigiTimes‌) coming down to Apple's preference for how much lead time to give developers before the headset begins shipping.

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

Top Rated Comments

ian87w Avatar
18 months ago
The rumor that keeps on going but never gives. :D
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
18 months ago
I was hoping to win the Power Ball so I could waste money on this. Sigh...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kierkegaarden Avatar
18 months ago
A January event for this still makes sense — they need to get this in the hands of developers, so being available by the third quarter would work out to give developers time before WWDC.

I also think they are vastly underestimating interest in this product — guessing they will be backordered for many months.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
18 months ago
The importance of AR cannot be overstated as Tim has called AR “critical” to Apple. “Critical” means it’s of vital importance thst the product is a success. This is why it will be bigger than iPhone.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Born Again Avatar
18 months ago
“AR/VR sucks!! It’s a fad!!! Nobody wants this!! I get dizzy! Wahhh!!” - Macrumors user 2022

“Take my money Apple!!!” - Macrumors user 2023
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nicky G Avatar
18 months ago
I might buy one.
Score: 4 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...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
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...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
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...