At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, Apple is anticipated to debut pricey mixed-reality headgear, taking on Facebook owner Meta in a market that hasn’t quite taken off.
The maker of the iPhone has not commented on rumors that it will announce a headset for augmented or virtual reality experiences at its annual conference for app developers.
Since introducing the Apple Watch in 2015, the release would be the iconic iPhone manufacturer’s most significant product launch.
It might also lead to increased hostilities between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg of Meta. The two have been at odds over how to manage their vast tech empires, particularly in relation to data privacy and China relations.
According to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives in a note to investors, there are high expectations that Apple will use the WWDC stage to highlight a “Reality Pro” headset costing around $3,000 and custom software for the equipment.
According to Ives, Apple’s Reality Pro will have a wide range of applications and use cases.
Cook is also anticipated to discuss the business’s AI strategy, which has gained attention ever since startup OpenAI released ChatGPT late last year.
According to Ives, the headset will concentrate on gaming, streaming video, and conferencing, as well as health and fitness. It has been in development at Cupertino, California-based Apple for years.
In keeping with Apple’s strategy of using high-end hardware to lock customers into other goods and services, it is also anticipated to sync closely with other Apple devices.
According to all reports, Apple intended to release a product that resembled designer eyewear rather than a gaming headset, but it is actually releasing something much bulkier, according to Yory Wurmser, the principal analyst at Insider Intelligence.
It wants early adopters and developers to use its product so they can begin creating a mixed-reality ecosystem centered around Apple software.
The headset was described as a high-tech pair of ski goggles in a Bloomberg report. It would project the wearer’s eyes and facial expressions on the external screen.
Meta increased the production of its line of Quest virtual reality headsets just days before Apple’s event.
Later this year, a new-generation Quest 3 with enhanced performance and a slimmer design will be sold for a starting price of $500, according to Zuckerberg.
The creator of Facebook referred to the upcoming model as Meta’s “most powerful headset yet” and assured users that it would offer the best wireless virtual reality experience.
Metaverse bound:
Zuckerberg has been adamant that Meta is committed to creating a time when internet life takes place in what is known as the “metaverse” of virtual worlds.
Because of its affordable Quest devices, Meta has become the leading VR manufacturer over the past few years, according to Wurmser.
Despite being a leader in the developing industry, Meta’s experience with the metaverse has been humble, and many people doubted that Apple would eventually join in.
And less than two years after changing its name to Meta to reflect a priority for the metaverse, the Facebook behemoth has let go of tens of thousands of employees and pledged to return to the fundamentals of social media.
The failure of Google Glass, the company’s ten-year project that was permanently shelved in March, is followed by Meta’s false start.
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