Skip to main content

Apple mixed-reality headset will reportedly launch in ‘the next several months’

Rumors that Apple is working on a top-secret mixed-reality headset have exploded in recent months. Excitingly, they just got another boost from reputable reporter Mark Gurman, who claims Apple will unveil the device at an in-person event within “the next several months.”

In a newsletter discussing Apple’s future Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) events, Gurman wrote: “Sometime in the next several months, the company is poised to announce a mixed-reality headset, its first major new device since 2015. If possible, Apple won’t want to make such a critical announcement at an online event. It wants employees, the media, its partners, and developers in the room.”

Tantalizingly, WWDC itself falls within that date range, as it is due to begin on June 7 this year. However, before we all get too excited, this year’s WWDC event is set to be digital-only, which seemingly rules it out for the mixed-reality headset reveal.

Apple's rumored virtual reality headset
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Traditionally, the next event Apple usually hosts after WWDC is the iPhone announcement in September. This is a plausible contender for the unveiling, as it would allow Apple to demonstrate how the headset works with brand-new iPhones and other Apple devices. At the same time, the September event is usually pretty jam-packed, so we might be looking at a stand-alone event solely dedicated to the headset instead.

If the device is indeed revealed in 2021, we would expect it to launch in 2022 to give developers time to get their apps ready. Gurman, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, and news outlet The Information have all slated 2022 as the probable release date. In terms of price, Kuo has claimed the product will cost $1,000 — much lower than the $3,000 price tag suggested by The Information.

According to the rumor mill, Apple’s headset will blend augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) features. It will supposedly be entirely wireless, feature dual 8K displays and eye tracking, and be powered by an Apple-designed custom chip that is on par with (or better than) the M1 chip in the current MacBook Pro. With all those features apparently in the works, this year’s announcement cannot come soon enough.

Editors' Recommendations

Alex Blake
In ancient times, people like Alex would have been shunned for their nerdy ways and strange opinions on cheese. Today, he…
Apple shares new Vision Pro ad just days before launch
A woman wearing the Vision Pro on a flight.

Hello Apple Vision Pro

Apple has dropped a new Vision Pro ad just a few days before the launch of the new device. You can watch it above.

Read more
Apple plans ‘living room’ atmosphere for Vision Pro demos
Apple's Vision Pro headset.

As Apple makes final preparations for the release of the Vision Pro on February 2, more details have been emerging about how the company plans to present the mixed-reality headset to people visiting its retail stores.

With the Vision Pro being the most important product release for Apple since the launch of the Apple Watch nearly a decade ago, the tech giant is leaving nothing to chance. Staff at Apple Stores in the U.S., where the Vision Pro will launch first, have been given special training on how to give shoppers the best possible experience with the headset right from the off.

Read more
Vision Pro discount for Apple employees not so generous
A woman wearing the Apple Vision Pro headset.

Apple is just hours away from launching preorders for its most important product since the release of the Apple Watch nearly a decade ago.

Preorders begin for the Vision Pro mixed-reality headset at 5 a.m. PT (8 a.m. ET) on Friday, January 19, with shipping starting two weeks later on February 2.

Read more