Skip to main content

Apple would be smart to delay the Reality Pro from WWDC

Promotional logo for WWDC 2023.
This story is part of our complete Apple WWDC coverage

A new report says the highly anticipated Reality Pro headset from Apple has once again been delayed and may not make an appearance at WWDC 2023 after all. It comes from a reputable source too, the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, and just a day after the official event was announced.

On one hand, I’m a little disappointed by the new rumor. We’ve all been hearing about this rumored headset for years now, and the multiple delays have left me so curious about what Apple has worked up. Apple rarely launches new product categories, and when it does, it’s usually a pretty big deal. It’s been eight years since the original Apple Watch, and the tech industry feels ready for another shake-up.

Recommended Videos

On the other hand, now’s really not a good time, and I think Apple knows it.

A rendering of an Apple mixed-reality headset (Reality Pro) in a gray color seen from the front.
Apple headset render Ahmed Chenni, Freelancer.com

The idea of the metaverse isn’t exactly in vogue right now. The concept has been championed most strongly by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who’s own enthusiasm caused him to rename his entire company. The Meta Quest Pro, an expensive headset with a focus on its mixed reality capabilities, came out last year. It was a preview of the future, but not exactly a practical consumer product. And with revenue on the decline and the tech industry in a rough patch, even Zuckerberg is downplaying his metaverse ambitions these days.

That already sounded like a challenging environment for Apple to launch its own headset in. The company has already disavowed the term “metaverse,” but it would need something very convincing to turn around public opinion about the concept. Given the rumored price of the Reality Pro, it would need a compelling use case for such a device, which companies like HTC and Meta have struggled to show. Throw in troubling times in the economy, and you have an uphill battle when trying to convince people to invest in a brand new piece of technology.

But Apple’s done it before, so it at least felt possible.

Tim Cook at WWDC 2022.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Then, 2023 happened, and the real tech trend emerged in the form of generative AI. ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney took the world by storm, rocking the tech industry in a way it hasn’t been in a long time. Unlike the metaverse, the practical use case for this breed of AI was everywhere you looked. People couldn’t wait to try it out for themselves, and in many ways, we’re all still basking in the glow of that excitement. The future feels undetermined and exciting, and not since the birth of Apple’s own iOS App Store has there been this much interest from developers.

Since the explosion of interest in December, Apple hasn’t made a peep about the whole thing. Microsoft and Google are battling it out with their own implementations, and Apple has been utterly quiet. If the company were to show up at WWDC talking about trends from 2020, it’s going to look supremely out of touch.

I don’t know how Apple is going to handle the topic of AI. It may not talk about it at all at WWDC 2023. Either way, an expensive mixed reality headset isn’t going to get investors or the public excited in the way ChatGPT has. If it’s smart, Apple will hold the Reality Pro for another time.

Luke Larsen
Luke Larsen is the Senior Editor of Computing, managing all content covering laptops, monitors, PC hardware, Macs, and more.
Apple’s next-gen M4 Macs look set to embrace serious gaming
The Mac mini on a wooden table.

Apple’s Mac machines and gaming don’t quite fit in the same equation, even though the recent trajectory of its Metal architecture has pulled off a few surprises. But it looks like the upcoming M4-tier machines won’t pull any punches, including the Mac mini.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes that for the first time, Apple’s entry-level desktop computer will offer ray tracing support. For the unaware, it’s a lighting system that adds a whole new level of visual realism to games.

Read more
Is Apple’s upcoming M4 Mac event still happening? I’m skeptical
Russian YouTuber Romancev768 with what is claimed to be a real M4 MacBook Pro unit.

Over the last few weeks, the endless stream of M4 MacBook Pro leaks has been almost inescapable. We’ve seen photos, unboxing videos, even M4 laptops reportedly going up for sale way ahead of time. Ye.t despite all that, there’s been one thing that has stopped me from fully believing that these leaks are legitimate -- despite a well-known reporter claiming that they’re authentic.

That’s because in all the leaks we’ve seen, the box of the M4 MacBook Pro has come with the same black-and-gray wallpaper that Apple used for its M3 line of MacBook Pros. It’s something that has bugged me ever since I first noticed it. But what if the use of an old wallpaper isn't proof that these leaks are fakes, but is actually a clue about what Apple is about to do next?
The wallpaper of it all

Read more
Massive M4 MacBook Pro leaks have been ‘confirmed’ to be true
Russian YouTuber Romancev768 with what is claimed to be a real M4 MacBook Pro unit.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen a spate of leaks showing off what are alleged to be the upcoming M4 MacBook Pro. From photos of retail boxes to full-blown unboxing videos, the internet has been awash with the next MacBook Pro, despite the fact that Apple hasn’t even announced it yet.

Despite the constant media attention, there have been consistent doubts about the leaks -- for some, they just had a few too many question marks to be trusted. Yet Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has just dropped a bombshell by throwing his weight behind the leaks, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: “I can confirm that these are indeed Apple’s upcoming M4 MacBook Pros.” Gurman is one of the most accurate and consistent Apple leakers in the business and claims to have sources deep inside the company. So, when he says something is genuine, there’s a good chance he’s right.

Read more