Apple’s long-awaited AR/VR headset could be going through one other spherical of delays. In response to the most recent provide chain information gathered by Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple might have delayed mass shipments of its headset to the second half of 2023 as it really works to resolve software-related points. Kuo had beforehand anticipated mass shipments to start within the second quarter of 2023.

Bloomberg reported final week that Apple’s headset will run on the “xrOS” platform, reasonably than the previously-reported “realityOS” identify. This can be a change that the corporate reportedly made internally in current weeks. To not be confused with the iPhone XR, Bloomberg says the “xr” on this case stands for “prolonged actuality.”

In response to Kuo, adjustments and bugs inside xrOS have induced Apple to delay mass shipments of its headset to the second half of 2023. Kuo doesn’t give any particular reasoning, however the assumption is made primarily based on his newest provide chain survey of Apple’s manufacturing companions.

It’s necessary to keep in mind that a delay in mass shipments doesn’t essentially imply that Apple’s headset received’t be introduced within the first half half of the yr. Apple can at all times announce the product months forward of precise availability, and that’s one thing it’s accomplished previously with merchandise just like the Apple Watch.

With that being stated, nevertheless, Kuo worries that an announcement in January, as has been speculated, could also be too early and finally be “detrimental to promotion and gross sales.”

It nonetheless must be decided whether or not the media occasion schedule (beforehand estimated in January 2023) can even delay, however normally, if the time-frame between the media occasion and finish product mass cargo is simply too lengthy, it’s detrimental to promotion and gross sales.

Kuo additionally reiterates as we speak that the Apple headset is predicted to be a really area of interest product. He predicts that shipments of the machine will probably be “lower than 500,000 models” in 2023. Kuo’s prediction is beneath the consensus of different analysts, which vary from 800,000 to 1.2 million models.

9to5Mac’s Take

It’s clearly taking Apple longer than anticipated to good the primary model of its mixed-reality headset, however that shouldn’t be stunning. It’s an all-new product class for the corporate, which is one thing that doesn’t comfortable usually. With competitors already available on the market from the likes of Meta, there’s a transparent want for Apple to have a robust begin with its personal AR/VR {hardware}.

I additionally assume it’s price mentioning that Apple can proceed to check and even launch new AR and VR options on its different platforms within the interim. This implies customers can see what kind of issues will be accomplished with AR/VR know-how and builders can take a look at the tech earlier than the devoted headset is definitely accessible.

What do you make of the most recent rumors and reporting on Apple’s headset? Are you continue to excited about seeing what the corporate has up its sleeve? Tell us down within the feedback.

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