Apple VR/AR headset could reportedly get delayed: Here’s when you can expect them | Digit

Recently, Apple rechristened his VR/AR system as xrOS, and this spurred plenty of speculation about the piece of tech launching soon. Even with rumours of delays emerging recently, this tech is still believed to launch in the second half of 2023. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, these delays have happened due to software-related issues. 

“My latest survey indicates that the mass shipment schedule of Apple’s MR headset may delay to 2H23 because of software-related issues (vs. the previous estimate of 2Q23).” he tweeted, as a part of a larger thread talking about the upcoming products.

“The mass shipment schedule of components is still likely 1H23/2Q23, but due to the postponed mass shipment schedule of the end product, Apple MR headset shipment forecast in 2023 will likely be less than 500k units, which is lower than the market consensus of 800k-1,200k units.” he elaborated.

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It’s already a market consensus the AR/VR headset device will be the next critical growth driver for optical industry. The market previously expected Apple’s MR headset, which will start mass shipments in 2Q23, would be a spotlight in the low season of the optical industry.

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) December 4, 2022

When will the Apple VR/AR headsets launch?

Even with these delays, it is believed that the product will launch sometime in 2023. The delay in shipment does not necessarily mean that there is a just cause for worry – VR/AR headsets are a fairly new type of tech that is still in its infancy, and it’s bound to take some time for manufacturing companies to iron out software issues and determine the product to be ready for the masses.

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The brand had scheduled a media launch event in January 2023. However, it is unclear whether this event will be pushed forward. 

“It still needs to be determined whether the media event schedule (previously estimated in January 2023) will also delay, but usually, if the time frame between the media event and end product mass shipment is too long, it’s detrimental to promotion and sales.” tweeted Ming-Chi Kuo.

The headsets will enable users to enter the metaverse and interact with it, and will certainly help usher in a new world of digital communication and entertainment.

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