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The alleged Apple AR headset could arrive as early as next April, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
“We expect Apple to launch AR HMD [head-mounted display] devices in the 2Q22. The device will provide a transparent video AR experience, so the lens is also needed and Genius is also a key vendor, ”Kuo explained in his new research note, as reported by MacRumors.
Genius Electronic Optical is a key supplier of camera lenses for the iPhone 12, so it wouldn’t be a big surprise that the company supplies Apple with lenses for an AR headset.
Apple’s VR headset was initially rumored to be called a “mixed reality” device that would launch in 2021 or 2022. In January, Kuo predicted that Apple’s AR headset announcement would come this year. . However, that evidently changed with Kuo’s research report forecasting to launch in the second quarter of next year.
Kuo then said that the Apple AR headset would arrive “in the middle of 2022”, which corresponds to his latest report, as the second quarter of the year covers a period from April to June.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in March that the release date of Apple’s first mixed reality headset would arrive in the “next few months.” However, we would be surprised if something was launched this year.
Apple’s next big event is expected to take place in September for the likely reveal of the iPhone 13 line. Following Kuo’s report, we wouldn’t expect the Apple AR headset to be revealed then.
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MacRumors also reported that if and when the Apple AR headset is announced, there could be a much larger than usual gap between its reveal and release, as the entire virtual reality business is an entirely new area for Apple. . This would give Apple time to engage developers to create AR apps designed specifically for its headset.
Apple’s AR / VR headset could also reportedly be an expensive piece of technology that could cost $ 1,000 or more. But that’s because it will reportedly be aimed primarily at developers rather than the average consumer, much like Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 AR headset.
If this is indeed the case, then there is a possibility that the Apple VR headset will be used as a development platform for Apple to test the waters for the loud Apple Glasses. The AR headset could be used to evaluate the specific hardware configuration needed to make consumer AR glasses a viable proposition, while having developers on board early could mean a healthy app ecosystem, if and when Apple glasses arrive.
Time will tell if this prediction materializes, but moving forward with the leaks and rumors so far, it looks like AR will play a major role in Apple’s future hardware. In the meantime, check out our picks for the best AR apps you can try right now.
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