Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Steve Jobs Theater dusk
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of staff around the company's next major platform.

Senior Apple executives have apparently gotten a peek at the headset every year since 2018, but these demonstrations were discreet looks at the project's progress rather than showcases of the complete device. Situated at the Steve Jobs Theater, the latest preview was reportedly a far more significant event, being "polished, glitzy, and exciting."

While anticipation of the device's launch is growing inside Apple, Gurman added that the device is likely to launch with several potential issues:

Moreover, the device will start at around $3,000, lack a clear killer app, require an external battery that will need to be replaced every couple of hours and use a design that some testers have deemed uncomfortable. It's also likely to launch with limited media content.

As a result, Apple executives are said to be "striking a realistic tone within the company" with the understanding that "this isn't going to be a hit product right out of the gate," potentially following a similar trajectory as the Apple Watch instead.

The first version of the device "will look like a dud next to the company's existing products," Gurman believes, but it is still "likely to make Apple the market leader in mixed reality within a few months." Executives expect consumer interest to grow as subsequent iterations of the headset launch at lower price points in the future.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...

Top Rated Comments

StoneJack Avatar
18 months ago
3D TVs anyone?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cromulent Avatar
18 months ago
I'm interested to hear more about it, but I doubt I'd buy one.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
18 months ago
I have a feeling even Apple is tired of working on this product.

I will demand to buy this Apple Mixed Reality AR/VR Headset and then demand to return it.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gleepskip Avatar
18 months ago
There's an order of magnitude price difference between Apple Watch and the rumored price of this product. I don't see how they will conform to a similar demand curve. Series 0 watches were impulse buys for some people at $350. Not many people will squander $3000 on a novelty product.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProfessionalFan Avatar
18 months ago

'Adult content' is a thin niche market (I hope).
It isn't, it is a pretty big market. The old saying "Sex sells" is not a fake statement.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
prime17569 Avatar
18 months ago
My guess is that this will be like the first-gen Apple Watch: slow, underpowered, and no clear direction. If they market it correctly and developers get on board, then it will probably find its niche or killer app a couple years in. It'll probably take the Apple AR glasses to replace the iPhone.

I wonder what the Xcode simulators would look like for this device. If apps could be developed using the simulator (or using an iPhone's limited AR capabilities) then it would make it a lot easier for the ecosystem to grow despite the high price of the device.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)