Oliver Haslam on April 13, 2022, 8:51 pm

Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset Could Be Delayed Until 2023, Missing Expected 2022 Launch

While some had been hoping that Apple would release its hotly anticipated mixed reality headset as soon as this year, a new report suggests that we might have to wait until early 2023 before anything is made available.

A report by Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities, seen by 9to5Mac, claims that the headset won’t be ready until the first quarter of next year after initial rumors pointing to an announcement in the second half of 2022.

The same report also notes that Apple will be using an in-house chip to help make the new headset stand out from the competition.

In a report seen by 9to5Mac, Pu mentions that Apple’s new headset may face a slight delay for the first quarter of 2023. The analyst also believes that Apple will sell something between 1 million and 1.5 million units of its new headset in its first year.

The report also mentions that the in-house designed chip will be one of the main differentiators of Apple’s mixed reality headset against its competitors. The device is expected to have more than 10 sensors (including cameras) combined, which should benefit Sony, Will Semi, Sunny Optical, and other parts suppliers.

The rumored AR/VR headset was already expected to feature some sort of Apple silicon, something that will surely help push the price higher than many would like to pay. Some rumors suggest that the first iteration of the new headset will cost as much as $3,000, putting out of the range of a large portion of Apple’s customer base.