Apple's mysterious AR-VR headset has been delayed by software 'issues' says analyst - ZDNet

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Apple is tipped not to beryllium capable to vessel its long-rumored mixed AR and VR headset until the 2nd fractional of 2023 owed to "software-related issues", according to noted Apple-focused expert Ming-Chi Kuo. 

Kuo had antecedently estimated Apple would vessel its mixed world headset en masse by the 2nd 4th of 2023, but present believes it volition gaffe to the 2nd fractional of 2023 aft surveying the proviso chain. 

"My latest survey indicates that the wide shipment docket of Apple's MR headset whitethorn hold to 2H23 due to the fact that of software-related issues (vs. the erstwhile estimation of 2Q23)" Kuo said successful a tweet.

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He was looking astatine the question of however a hold successful wide shipment of the headset could interaction the optical manufacture supplying components for Apple's caller hardware, specified arsenic Primary for the eyeball tracking module, Cowell for the camera module, Genius for the pancake optics, and Largan for the lens. 

Kuo reckons wide shipments of components for the instrumentality volition beryllium apt successful the archetypal fractional of 2023 oregon the 2nd 4th 2023, but delays volition marque it apt Apple lone ships astir 500,000 units. The market, helium notes, believes Apple would vessel 800,000 to 1.2 cardinal units successful 2023. 

"It inactive needs to beryllium determined whether the media lawsuit docket (previously estimated successful January 2023) volition besides delay, but usually, if the clip framework betwixt the media lawsuit and extremity merchandise wide shipment is excessively long, it's detrimental to promotion and sales."

Reports this summer from Bloomberg indicated Apple was gearing up to motorboat a mixed world headset astatine immoderate constituent successful 2023. Law firms linked to Apple filed for trademark applications successful respective countries for the names "Reality One", "Reality Pro" and "Reality Processor". Apple besides has the name RealityOS.    

It would beryllium the archetypal large caller hardware class successful 7 years, the past clip being the Apple Watch. 

According to Bloomberg, Apple has been internally investigating 2 models called "N301" – its earliest prototype – and "N602" that could motorboat adjacent year. There's besides a lightweight acceptable of augmented world glasses codenamed "N421", but these aren't expected to motorboat until aboriginal successful the decade. 

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Apple's headset is expected to beryllium overmuch much costly than Meta's sub-$500 Quest 2, possibly much successful enactment with Meta's Quest 2 Pro astatine $1,500. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman estimates Apple's headset volition outgo betwixt $2,000 and $3,000 and volition beryllium equipped with a Mac-level M2 chip, implicit 10 cameras extracurricular and wrong the device, and precise high-resolution displays. 

Apple's archetypal mentation of realityOS is called "Oak" and was reportedly acceptable for hardware adjacent year. But, according to Gurman, Apple is besides renaming realityOS to "xros", wherever "XR" stands for extended reality. A ammunition institution has besides applied for trademarks for the name, but Apple could inactive extremity up going with realityOS.