According to a new report, almost every supplier of components for augmented reality headsets is preparing to make more parts in the hope that other manufacturers will follow Apple’s lead once it releases its first extended-reality headset.
Suppliers expecting strong demand for tech giant’s first extended-reality headset
According to the most current speculations, an Apple augmented reality headset will be announced in June at WWDC 2023. The device will not ship immediately after the announcement. Instead, Apple reportedly plans to launch it in the fall. However, suppliers are already preparing for an increase in demand for extended-reality devices.
As per a new DigiTimes report, the suppliers of the optical components that will be used in headsets are getting ready for what unnamed sources describe as an increase in demand. The vendors predict that other companies will compete to build extended reality (XR) and mixed reality (MR) devices.
Despite the fact that Digitimes cites unnamed individuals in the supply chain sector, the news looks to be speculation given how much attention Apple is currently receiving. Any success for Apple will almost certainly encourage other manufacturers to enter the market, and they will all want to do it quickly.
In related news, Samsung recently announced that it has partnered with Qualcomm and Google to develop future extended reality products. Specifically, a mixed-reality headset. The chipset is going to be provided by Qualcomm, and Google will supply the software. Meta and Microsoft are going to serve as service partners for the headset.
While suppliers are expecting strong demand for extended-reality products following the announcement of Apple’s headset, the tech giant itself expects modest demand for the product. The company plans to produce one million units in the first year. This could be because the first-generation headset will be geared toward professionals. Therefore, it will offer the necessary technology and hardware for such users at a whopping price of $3000.
Apple’s first mixed-reality headset, likely to be called Reality Pro, will offer dual 4K displays to a flexible OLED, more than a dozen cameras, and more. The headset will reportedly offer cutting-edge technology such as iris scanning, and facial expression tracking powered by Apple silicon CPUs.
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