iPhone moment: Apple's mixed-reality headset may not debut at WWDC 2023

Ming-Chi Kuo, a top Apple analyst, said that the company is not positive that its mixed-reality headset will recreate "the astounding iPhone moment"

American tech giant Apple might not lay open the latest device in its product line, a mixed-reality headset, at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June this year. Ming-Chi Kuo, a top Apple analyst, said that the company isn’t positive that the product will recreate “the astounding iPhone moment.”

Kuo said that the much-talked-about headset might be delayed by one or two months to the mid-to-late third quarter of 2023. “The delay also adds uncertainty to whether the new device will appear at WWDC 2023, as the market widely expects,” he said in a Twitter post.

 

The analyst also noted that owing to the delay in mass production of the gadget, the shipment forecast for this year has gone down. While there was a consensus of 500,000 or more previously, it has now come down to around 200,000 to 300,000 units.

The company’s non-positiveness about how the device will be perceived in the market is loaded with several reasons. Some reasons relate to the “economic downturn, compromises on some hardware specifications for mass production (such as weight), the readiness of the ecosystem and applications, and a high selling price,” as per Kuo. The device has been a work in progress for the last few years, and it could possibly be named “Reality Pro.” Its pricing range may start from $3,000.

The iPhone maker has announced that WWDC, which is set to get underway from June 5 to June 9, will be in an online format. During the conference, the company may present newer versions of its iPhone, iPad, Watch, Mac, and TV operating systems. The company has also said that the developers and students will get opportunities to celebrate a special experience in the offline mode, at Apple Park on opening day.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had earlier reported about the concerns of several company executives that the headset might face. He had mentioned the device might not be on par with the standards of other companies’ products.

The delay in mass production isn’t happening for the first time. In a web post, Gurman had said that the headset was first set to launch in 2021 and then in 2022. It was then postponed to January 2023, with plans of shopping the product later in the year. However, based on the last two updates, it was set to unveil ahead of the company’s annual WWDC 2023. But, as per the analyst, the headset is again facing a delay.

In March 2023, the iPhone maker presented its mixed-reality headset in California’s Steve Jobs Theater. The gathering witnessed the participation of around 100 top company executives.