Apple had just announced the dates for its WWDC 2023 event. Beyond the announcement of major software updates, the fruit company was also expected to announce its new but expensive MR headset. After all, it did see a delay that pushed its unveiling back to June. Now, even that appearance has been plunged into even more uncertainty, going by a recent tweet by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In the tweet, Kuo says that Apple is pushing back the mass production of said MR headset by another month or two, which leads to the uncertainty around its WWDC debut. That being said, there’s nothing really stopping the iPhone maker from unveiling it first, but with the new delayed availability dates, even if that’s not something that the company does often. Beyond just the delay, the analyst also notes the possibility of “compromises on some hardware specifications for mass production”, with weight being one example that got singled out.
Because Apple isn't very optimistic about the AR/MR headset announcement recreating the astounding "iPhone moment," the mass production schedule for assembly has been pushed back by another 1-2 months to mid-to-late 3Q23. The delay also adds uncertainty to whether the new device…
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 30, 2023
Speaking of the iPhone, Kuo also claims that the company’s head honchos aren’t exactly optimistic about the MR headset doing well. On one hand, the company wants the headset to be another major milestone for the company. This is described as the “iPhone moment”, referencing the first iPhone as the major industry shifting point into smartphones. But on the other, excitement for the new product will likely be dampened by not only its high asking price – which is expected to start from US$3000 [~RM13229]), but also the current economic situation.
This may be adding another entry into the Apple MR headset’s rich history of delays. We’ve seen multiple reports of the headset being delayed since its then release date of 2022. All that being said, the company could still manage the launch of its MR headset within the year. And with that in mind, if it doesn’t make it to the stage during WWDC, then it may just share some airtime with this year’s iPhone 15 line.
(Source: Ming-Chi Kuo / Twitter)
