Apple's AR and VR headset may launch in 2022 as a premium device

Apple's mixed-reality headset could launch in 2022, a report claims, with the often-rumored head-mounted device expected to offer both AR and VR to consumers.

Rumors over the years have said that Apple is actively working on some form of AR or VR headset or smart glasses, like "Apple Glass," but the company has yet to offer any real indications it will release such a product. In a Sunday newsletter, it is believed that 2022 may be the year Apple's work in the field could come to fruition.

In his latest Bloomberg "Power On" newsletter, Mark Gurman claims Apple is "planning to unleash its own pricey device with advanced chips, displays, sensor, and avatar-based features as early as next year," referring to 2022.

Gurman doesn't offer how much the supposed device could cost, aside from it being expensive. One report from January said Apple planned to price it above rival devices, while supply chain reports in September say a headset could land in 2022 at a price of around $2,000.

The device will be a headset that includes "both AR and VR capabilities, Gurman adds, which could offer a "mixed reality experience that can handle games in high-quality virtual reality." While you could game in both AR and VR, Gurman points out that VR is "what you want for seriously high-performance games with top-tier graphics."

"For Apple's first headset, that's what it's shooting for: a mixed reality experience that can handle games in high-quality virtual reality with snappy chips and high-end displays."

11 Comments

cpsro 14 Years · 3239 comments

About 3 years ago

If it's premium priced, it mightn't have much content.

InspiredCode 8 Years · 405 comments

cpsro said:

If it's premium priced, it mightn't have much content.

Since almost all existing VR content is written with Unreal Engine and Unity, ports will be trivial. It will likely be powerful enough to run desktop-class VR content, so it may have more content then the Quest headset. I'm also not sure that casual use is Apple's focus with this headset. I think they just want to get something out for creators and developers. A more consumer friendly headset would likely come later. If developers release for this headset, they will be better prepared for the next one. I would expect if comfort levels can be achieved that these devices will also be used for non-VR content which could make the price point easier to swallow.

mcdave 19 Years · 1927 comments

Apple doesn’t value design anymore, instead choosing to appease the vocal minority with redundant ports (skating to where the puck was) so this thing’s going to be a total clunker.

mpantone 18 Years · 2254 comments

cpsro said:

If it's premium priced, it mightn't have much content.

You're probably right. Look at the state of gaming on the Mac.

If you look at the top selling games on Steam for Mac, the list is decidedly ghetto with tons of very old titles. Not that there's anything wrong with classic titles with excellent gameplay but there's no Control for Mac and certainly no Half-Life: Alyx let alone games like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Resident Evil Village.

The only top tier games are Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Metro Exodus. Neither are fresh off the presses.

To be truthful, a lot of PC VR games aren't memorable in a good way. Great VR gameplay still hasn't been fully deciphered by game studios, there's still a lot of awkward, unnecessary and uncomfortable experiences. The gravity gloves in Half-Life: Alyx are brilliant and VR game developers will be studying that for years to come.

There's a lot more to great VR/AR than speccing and shipping some expensive HMD.

sagan_student 15 Years · 188 comments

mpantone said:

cpsro said:

If it's premium priced, it mightn't have much content.

You're probably right. Look at the state of gaming on the Mac.

If you look at the top selling games on Steam for Mac, the list is decidedly ghetto with tons of very old titles. Not that there's anything wrong with classic titles with excellent gameplay but there's no Control for Mac and certainly no Half-Life: Alyx let alone games like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Resident Evil Village.

The only top tier games are Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Metro Exodus. Neither are fresh off the presses.

To be truthful, a lot of PC VR games aren't memorable in a good way. Great VR gameplay still hasn't been fully deciphered by game studios, there's still a lot of awkward, unnecessary and uncomfortable experiences. The gravity gloves in Half-Life: Alyx are brilliant and VR game developers will be studying that for years to come.

There's a lot more to great VR/AR than speccing and shipping some expensive HMD.

I’m thinking it’s going to be iOS based so the limits of Mac gaming won’t be as much of an issue.