Apple Pushes Back Mixed-Reality Headset Debut Two Months to June - Bloomberg bloomberg.com
Dan Riccio — Apple’s former hardware chief, who now helps oversee the mixed-reality project — has become increasingly involved in the endeavor in recent weeks as the company looks to resolve remaining issues, the people added.
Apple’s mixed-reality headset will feature a new operating system, dubbed xrOS internally, that features a 3D-like view of an iPhone interface, complete with apps like Messages, Mail, Safari and TV.
Apple has been working to fix issues with sensors on the device to enable the hand and eye control mechanism. It’s also trying to strike a balance between battery life and performance.
Apple’s first headset — likely to be released under the Reality brand — will cost around $3,000, include nascent technologies like pass-through cameras, in-air typing, hand and eye control and ultra-high-resolution displays.
Beyond perfecting the advanced technologies in the product, Apple is up against another issue with its headset: selling into a market that has been disappointed and confused by efforts from competitors.
Meta has described the mixed-reality market as one that is built around a metaverse, virtual avatars and all-day experiences inside VR. That approach hasn’t taken off and the number of people who stick to their Meta headsets after six months has reportedly dwindled.
Perhaps most critically, Apple will need to sell developers on this device if it ever wants the category to become an iPhone-like hit. The first-party features on the device aren’t enough to catapult the device into the mainstream.
With the odds already against the headset out of the gate, Apple can’t risk its App Store becoming a dud like it did for the Apple Watch, Apple TV and iMessage.
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