Apple’s mixed-reality headset is now expected to arrive sooner than its previously rumored date of arrival, according to TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo previously said that the device would arrive in the second quarter of 2022, but now predicts that it will “likely” arrive in January 2023.
Analyst says Apple’s mixed-reality headset will be a game-changer for the headset market
In a new blog post, the analyst discussed the growth of the AR/VR industry in the post-Meta era. The post also discusses how Meta will compete with the Cupertino tech giant once its headset arrives.
Kuo says Apple will be a “game-changer for the headset industry.” He goes on to say that the launch of Apple’s mixed-reality headset will result in “rapid growth of the headset sector.”
Meta’s VR hardware investment cut will benefit other VR headset brands amid VR industry’s continuous growth. In addition, the vast potential demand in the Chinese market and Apple AR/MR, which will likely be announced in January 2023, will also favor the continued rapid growth of the headset sector.
Although Apple has repeatedly reiterated its focus on AR, Kuo believes “Apple AR/MR supporting video see-thru could also offer an excellent immersive experience.” This will likely boost the demand for immersive entertainment.
He also says that Apple’s mixed-reality headset would be the “most complicated product” the tech giant has ever designed so it is relying on existing suppliers to manufacture the device.
Kuo concludes the post by saying the tech giant is an industry leader with significant advantages over competitors so it does not need to join the Metaverse Standards Forum now. He also says that Apple’s rivals will likely imitate its headset once it is released which will lead to growth in related services and content.
After Apple launches AR/MR headset, I think Apple’s global rivals will compete to imitate it, leading the headset hardware industry to the next stage of rapid growth and benefiting the related services and content ecosystem.
Apple’s mixed-reality headset is expected to feature two M1-like chips which will power three displays that use OLED technology with 3,000 PPI and Fresnel’s hybrid ultra-short focal length lenses.
Apple is creating the product for short periods of use. In terms of price, it is expected to cost several thousand dollars since the first-generation headset will be higher-end, aimed at professionals and developers to expand Apple’s ecosystem in AR/VR.
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