Apple plans to launch its rumored mixed-reality headset “in mid-2022,” followed by augmented reality glasses in 2025, well-regarded analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a research note from TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors.
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“We predict that Apple’s MR / AR product roadmap includes three phases: helmet type for 2022, glasses type for 2025, and lens type for 2030-2040,” Kuo wrote. “We anticipate that the helmet product will provide virtual reality and virtual reality experiences, while the lens and contact lens product types are more likely to focus on RA applications.”
Kuo said several prototypes of Apple’s mixed-reality headphones currently weigh 200 to 300 grams, but said the final weight will be reduced to 100-200 grams if Apple can solve technical problems, which would be significantly lighter than many existing VR devices. Due to a complex design, Kuo expects the headphones to be priced at about $ 1,000 in the United States, in line with the price of a “high-end iPhone.”
In line with a previous rumor, Kuo said the headphones will be equipped with Sony Micro-OLED displays and various optical modules to provide a “realized viewing experience,” adding that the headphones can also “offer a reality experience.” virtual “.
Kuo said the headphones will be “portable,” with independent computing and storage capacity, but not really “mobile” like an iPhone. “As technology improves, we believe the new hull product can also improve its mobility,” he said.
Kuo believes Apple’s headphones can provide an “immersive experience that is significantly better than existing RV products.”
Last month, The information reported that the headphones will be equipped with more than a dozen cameras for tracking hand movements, along with two high-resolution 8K screens and advanced eye tracking technology. The cameras would be able to pass real world video through the visor and show it to the user.
“While Apple has focused on AR, we believe the hardware specifications of this product can provide an immersive experience that is significantly better than existing VR products. We believe Apple can integrate this helmet with applications related to the video (e.g. Apple TV +, Apple Arcade, etc.) as one of the key selling points “.
As for Apple’s augmented reality glasses, Kuo expects a release in 2025 as soon as possible and believes “there’s no prototype yet.”
Kuo said the glasses will provide an “RA optical vision experience” and will be positioned as a more “mobile” product than mixed-reality headphones. “While the helmet provides a fantastic immersive experience, the glasses are more focused on providing a‘ mobile + RA ’experience,” he said. Kuo expects Apple’s glasses to be integrated with the rumored Apple Car, which is likely to be several years away.
Finally, Kuo looked very much to the future and predicted that Apple would launch “contact lenses” sometime after 2030. He said this product will bring the electronics of the “visible computing” era to the “computing” era. invisible “, but offered no further details.
Apple is highly committed to mixed reality / augmented reality technologies, according to Kuo, who has a “positive outlook” on Apple’s future in space. Kuo said the main beneficiaries of the headset supply chain include Sony (exclusive display supplier), Pegatron (EMS exclusive) and suppliers related to optical components.