Apple is rumored to have completed the second phase of production testing of its augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headset. The second phase of testing ensures that the device prototypes meet the company's goals and specifications. The release of the device is expected by the end of 2022-mid-2023.
In a recent report, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman questioned the chances of the device appearing this year due to development issues related to overheating, cameras and software. However, with the second round of production testing already completed, the headset's development timeline is comparable to that of the Apple Watch, which DigiTimes believes suggests the device is nearing mass production. The portal expects the headset to be released in late 2022-mid-2023.
Apple's AR/VR headset is expected to cost around $3,000. For that money, buyers will get an ultra-lightweight device equipped with an 8K display, two 4K micro-LED displays, 15 optical modules, two core processors, eye tracking, hand gesture control, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and much more. The headset is expected to run on realityOS, which has been under development since 2017.
The estimated cost puts the headset on par with the Microsoft HoloLens 2, which retails for $3,500. That price would make Apple's headset a high-end niche product, as the company is rumored to have set an internal goal to ship only 250,000 units of the headset in its first year.
bbabo.Net