Apple Analyst Suggests A More Affordable VR Headset Will Launch In 2025

Apple's rumored augmented reality/mixed reality (AR/MR) headset has been a hot topic as of late. While Apple itself remains tight-lipped, industry experts and analysts have been predicting the launch of such a headset for many months now. As we get closer to the expected date, more and more rumors are cropping up. However, it appears that the fairly affordable AR/MR headset from Apple may be delayed until 2025.

Even though Apple hasn't said a word about the headset, various leaks tell us that it exists — and it's already been delayed by quite a bit. In 2022, the rumor mill was buzzing with speculation about a possible launch during the Worldwide Developers Conference that took place in June. 

The conference came and went with no mention of the headset, as did Apple's September event that revealed the new iPhone 14. Whatever may be happening with the headset project, it's just not quite ready yet — and the possible launch continues slipping.

Despite the delays, the little morsels of information that we've been getting about the device have all been exciting. It seems that Apple may be creating its own "3D mixed-reality world" to accompany the headset. These days, AR/MR headsets are increasingly seen as not just tools for entertainment, but possible tools for communication, remote work, and participating in the metaverse.

However, the rumored headset also has a downside — reports consistently state that it may cost as much as $3,000. This is why today's report is such a bittersweet bit of news.

The scoop comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable source on all things Apple. Kuo says that shipments for the first-generation Apple AR/MR headset are going to be very low in volume. Previous rumors pointed toward just 0.7 million units being shipped. 

Despite the alleged $3,000 price tag, it's also possible that these 0.7 million headsets won't actually bring a profit. This is because of the powerful hardware they're supposedly equipped with, as well as the exclusive sales model that means the headset won't be readily available.

Despite still being little else than a rumor to the general public, the development of the headset seems well underway, despite being plagued by setbacks. In his report, Kuo talks about many changes to the development team that seem to be taking place behind the scenes, with Apple's partners passing the production from one company to another.

Those of us who won't be chasing the $3,000 headset (whenever it appears) may have to wait longer before a second-generation option becomes available. Kuo states that the second-gen Apple AR/MR headset will come out in two variants — high-end and low-end. 

Both of them are only expected to launch in 2025. Although the price is difficult to speculate about at this point, it's safe to assume they'll both be cheaper than the limited edition $3,000 experiment that Apple might release this year.