Kuo: Apple Headset Shipments Potentially Delayed Until Second Half of 2023

Mass shipments of Apple's long-rumored AR/VR headset may be delayed until the second half of 2023 due to unspecified "software-related issues," according to the latest information shared today by tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

apple ar headset concept 1

Apple headset render by Ian Zelbo

Kuo said mass shipments of components for the headset are still likely to begin in the first half of 2023, but he believes that mass shipments of fully assembled headsets may not begin until the second half of the year. This delay could result in the headset launching in the second half of 2023, even if Apple announces it earlier in the year.

WWDC 2023 in June would be an opportune time for Apple to announce the headset, along with an SDK for developers to create AR/VR apps for the device.

Kuo previously claimed that Apple planned to unveil the headset at a January media event and begin mass shipments in the second quarter of 2023. Kuo is unsure whether the delay would result in the January announcement being pushed back, but he did note that an overly lengthy period between a media event and mass shipments can hurt sales.


Apple's headset is expected to be an expensive, niche product, with Kuo forecasting that the company will ship fewer than 500,000 headsets in 2023.

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

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Already Selling Out

Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
Tim Cook WWDC 2018

Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'

Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said. While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's 2026 Mac Plans

Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio. MacBook Air (Early 2026) The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
walmart new ornametns

Walmart Black Friday Deals Begin Today With Low Prices on Headphones, TVs, and More

Friday November 14, 2025 7:55 am PST by
Walmart's Black Friday sale has officially kicked off today, with an online shopping event that's also seeing some matching deals in retail locations. There are quite a few major discounts in this sale, including savings on headphones, TVs, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm 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 ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...

Top Rated Comments

Andronicus Avatar
39 months ago
Can’t really be disappointed by a delay for something that’s never been officially announced.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Smartuser Avatar
39 months ago
Oh no, and I was so 200% sure it would have come out this time after the 4329847 times it's been postponed according to the leakers.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
39 months ago
How times have changed since the first iPhone days.
Back then — the press didn’t have a clue about what was going to change the world - until SJ unveiled it.

Nowadays we hear about delays of a product nobody has ever seen - one year in advance
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
39 months ago
I don’t mind the delay. Take your time, Apple. Get this right. I hope Apple pushes out the software before hand atleast.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
F0rumUs3r Avatar
39 months ago
I don’t see folks being interested in a VR headset from Apple. AR glasses on the other hand would sell like hotcakes.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NT1440 Avatar
39 months ago

flop goes the goggles. Apple is probably still deciding if they want anything to do with this.
You don’t invest billions of dollars and over a decade of R&D to the point of component orders going out, and still be deciding whether it’s going to be a thing.

This isn’t an AirPower device, this is the next step of whatever Apple’s next BIG thing will be. They’ve been testing the core technologies for whatever’s coming in their platforms for the better part of a decade now.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)