Production of the heavily tipped Apple AR headset may have been delayed, according to one reliable source.
Apple is widely accepted to be working on its own augmented reality goggles, with numerous tips emerging over recent years – not to mention a handful of hints from the secretive manufacturer itself.
However, according to leading Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors), Apple’s AR plans may have hit a bit of a speed bump. In a new note to investors, Kuo claims that Apple won’t be able to go into production on its headset until the fourth quarter of 2022.
This would likely mean a release in late 2022, or even early 2023.
The original plan was to start production in the second quarter of 2022, but Kuo claims that Apple wants to have “complete software, ecosystem, and services” in place ahead of launch.
That might sound like an obvious statement to some, but it’s worth remembering that the original iPhone launched without an App Store. Apple won’t make that same mistake with its new AR headset, it seems.
Kuo claims that Apple’s AR headset requires way more industrial design than its smartphones ever had, owing to the fact that it needs to be comfortable to wear. He also states that “the challenge of building software/ecosystem/services is significantly higher than current products/competitors” because Apple is positioning its headset for a variety of applications outside of gaming.
Apple is clearly being extremely careful with its next big product venture. Back in August it was reported that Tim Cook was delaying his exit as Apple CEO to oversee ‘one more thing’, which could very well be this delayed Apple AR headset.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.