Mass Production of Apple’s AR/VR Headset may be Delayed Until Q4 2022: Kuo

Apple’s rumoured AR/VR headset may be facing mass production delays. According to TF International Securities’ Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, production of the headset may not occur until the fourth quarter of 2022. This would place a release near the end of next year or early 2023 at the earliest.

As reported by MacRumors, Kuo states that Apple wishes to have “complete software, ecosystem, and services.” Due to how new this branch will be for Apple, it’s believed that it may play a role in the production delay. It’s also noted that Apple is seeking to have the “best industrial design solutions” for the headset. Since its initial reports, design and comfort seem to be an intregal part of Apple’s development process for its AR/VR device.

The AR/MR HMD requires much more industrial design requirements than smartphones because the comfort of wearing them involves so many design details. Therefore, we believe Apple continues to test the best industrial design solutions so far.

The key to the success of the HMD lies in the software, ecosystem, and service. We believe that Apple is positioning its HMD for various applications, not just gaming applications, so the challenge of building software/ecosystem/services is significantly higher than current products/competitors.

Prior to the report of a production delay, it was said that Apple’s AR/VR headset would reach its mass production phase sometime in mid-2022. From a design perspective, reports indicated that Apple would be taking a similar approach to FaceBook’s Oculus Quest but with more lightweight fabrics and materials used.

Previously, Kuo has indicated that Apple intends to utilize dual 8K displays within its AR/VR headset. Micro-OLED displays may also be used in the headset. Eye tracking, head movement detection and other standard mixed reality functions would also be supported. Reports indicate that the headset will use an iPhone though multiple inputs may be considered.

On top of an AR/VR headset, Apple may also be working on a pair of AR glasses as a follow-up to the headset. With a 2022 release in place for the AR/VR device, the AR glasses may release the year after in 2023 if the appropriate targets are met by Apple.