Gurman: Apple Still Plans to Announce AR/VR Headset at WWDC Despite Recent Uncertainty

Apple still plans to announce its long-rumored AR/VR headset during the WWDC 2023 keynote on June 5, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Sunday newsletter, Gurman said Apple will also unveil the headset's xrOS operating system.

apple ar concept 2 blue green

Apple headset mockup by Ian Zelbo

"The showcase at WWDC, the Worldwide Developers Conference, will likely include the headset itself, but also its onboard xrOS operating system, accompanying services, and — perhaps most critically — a software development kit and platform that will let developers write new types of apps," wrote Gurman, in his weekly "Power On" newsletter.

Last week, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass production of the headset was pushed back by an additional one to two months to the mid-to-late third quarter of 2023. Kuo said the delay added "uncertainty" to whether the headset would be announced at WWDC this year, but Gurman is still confident the device will be unveiled then.

Apple CEO Tim Cook alluded to the headset in a recent interview, saying that AR could "greatly enhance people's communication" and "connection."

Apple announced that WWDC 2023 will take place from June 5 through June 9, with sessions, labs, and other content to be made available online for free. There will also be an in-person component in the form of a "special day" at Apple Park, where randomly selected developers and students can watch the keynote and State of the Union videos together, meet teams at Apple, take part in evening activities, and more.

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Top Rated Comments

sorgo † Avatar
25 months ago
I can't wait for this to be announced so that we can stop talking about it! :)
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mystery hill Avatar
25 months ago
I want them to announce it soon so we don’t have to see that mock-up image anymore.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
25 months ago
At this point, it's basically a dead-on-arrival product. I don't think it will be as revolutionary as Apple first introduced the iPhone in 2007. But bring it please so we can stop talking about it and Apple can move on to other things.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BGPL Avatar
25 months ago
The silver lining here, Apple unveiling this AR/VR headset is going to drive innovation in this field, even if it is half-baked. It will push Meta to put up a better product that also supports AR and not just VR, and hopefully it will cause another big name to step up. Lots of potential.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
erikkfi Avatar
25 months ago
Release it already so we don't have to look at this mockup anymore.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnApples Avatar
25 months ago

At this point, it's basically a dead-on-arrival product. I don't think it will be as revolutionary as Apple first introduced the iPhone in 2007. But bring it please so we can stop talking about it and Apple can move on to other things.
People said this about the AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone, iPod… (for real, go search the MR archives)

You’d think after Apple’s numerous successes that people would stop preemptively declaring products DOA or “flops”, yet here we are once again.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)