TrendForce’s new report has revised shipments of AR/VR headsets up to 14.19 million units in 2022 and predicts that Apple AR/VR headset will launch this year with a monthly subscription plan to compete with Facebook Oculus Quest 2 and Microsoft HoloLens 2, the dominating AR/VR devices in the market, currently.
Since 2020, several reports have claimed that Apple is developing an AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) headset, along with AR glasses. Expected to launch in 2022-2023, tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple AR/VR headset will be equipped with Sony’s micro-OLED displays, will work without being connected to an iPhone, and will come with a $1000 price tag.
He previously reported that Apple is creating a complete ecosystem for its AR/VR headset to offer much more than just an immersive gaming experience. All of Kuo’s claims are reiterated in the new report.
The new Apple AR/VR headset could cost $1,000 to $3,500 to capture commercial market like HoloLens 2
Commenting on the launch of new AR/VR headsets in the market, the new report explains that companies that own hardware and software like Apple will have an advantage over their competitors. And promising numbers of Oculus, and HoloLens might “force” Apple to launch its AR/VR headset this year.
Since the commercial market places more emphasis on the benefits of hardware and software integration, manufacturers that dominate commercial systems, software, and platforms have the advantage. Thus, Apple has become another focus in the AR/VR device market.
Strong shipments of Oculus and Microsoft products will likely force Apple to release relevant products to join the competition this year.
Recently, references of realityOS, Apple’s alleged operating system for its upcoming (mixed reality) AR/VR headset, were found in App Store upload logs and open source code on Github. Although the code was pushed accidentally to Github and the company hide it via an update, users were quick to find that realityOS was an actual operating system, and has its own executables binaries, and simulator for testing apps. The discovery substantiates the aforementioned claims.
In addition, the report also says that Apple AR/VR headset is likely to have a more hefty price tag like the over $1000 HoloLens than, comparatively cheaper, $200 Oculus and will also offer apps or services via monthly subscription to make a higher profit.
However, TrendForce states, considering hardware performance requirements and gross profit margins, Apple will likely target the commercial market and adopt the same pricing strategy as HoloLens, hardware priced in the thousands of dollars and a monthly subscription-based software solution.
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