Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says not to expect Apple’s anticipated mixed reality headset at WWDC 2022.
Kuo’s comment arrives after a trademark filing for ‘RealityOS’ – Apple’s OS for its mixed reality headset – was uncovered. The filing suggests an official announcement of the headset is getting close, but Apple isn’t quite ready for the grand reveal.
As with any current hardware launch, Apple will be keeping an eye on the chip shortages that have plagued the industry. The company will likely be reluctant to set a release date until it’s certain of being able to meet it with sufficient supply.
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— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 31, 2022
I'm sure that if Apple announces AR/MR headset and its OS at WWDC, competitors will immediately kick off copycat projects and happily copy Apple's excellent ideas, and hit the store shelves before Apple launches in 2023.
Earlier this year, Kuo said Apple’s headset will have “significantly higher” computing power than the iPhone.
In a research note for investors, Kuo wrote: “Our latest survey indicates that each Apple AR/MR headset will adopt two CPUs made of 4nm and 5nm… which is higher than our previous estimation and market consensus of one.”
The computing power of the device will mean that it will use the same 96W charger used for the 14-inch MacBook Pro. The charger is expected to be supplied by Jabil.
Kuo says the 96W charger requirement “proves that Apple AR/MR requires the same level of computing power as the MacBook Pro and is significantly higher than the iPhone.”
Competitors are expected to be around 2-3 years behind Apple.
“At present, the largest chip supplier of AR/VR headsets is Qualcomm, and its mainstream solution XR2 has a computing power of mobile phone level,” explains Kuo.
With that in mind, Apple can afford to wait and not rush its headset to market.
Apple’s headset is set to feature a three-display configuration (with two Micro OLED panels and one AMOLED), and more than 10 sensors (including cameras) for advanced environment and gesture detection. It should support a seamless transition between VR and AR.
The company is said to be setting low sales expectations for the first iteration of its headset due to its expected high cost—which is estimated to be around $3,000. Apple is said to only expect to sell around one headset per Apple Store per day.
Kuo expects future growth will be driven by “a more affordable second generation”.
(Photo by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash)
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