Apple VR leak suggests 2022 release time frame, key features

Apple Vr
Apple Vr (Image credit: The Information)

What you need to know

  • A bunch of Apple VR details just leaked.
  • Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the product will drop in the middle of 2022.
  • Kuo also revealed the suggested price and several key features.

A new Apple VR leak has revealed how Apple's own headset could challenge the best VR headsets available right now.

In a research note seen by iMore, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states that AR and VR is the next key technology of human-machine interfacing, and is one of the reasons Apple has invested so heavily in the project.

Kuo states that Apple has three products in the works, an AR/VR headset, a lightweight pair of Glasses, and unbelievably, a pair of AR contact lenses.

On Apple's VR headset Kuo lists a number of expected details:

  1. The product will launch in mid-2022
  2. Current prototypes weigh 2-300 grams, but Apple is aiming for 1-200 grams, considerably less than most competitors
  3. It will offer a "video see-through AR experience" through micro-LED
  4. The complexity of design is higher than that of the iPhone, so Kuo estimates the price will be $1,000
  5. It will be an independent product, so it won't need a base computer or device for processing
  6. It will be more "portable" than mobile
  7. It will have a "very smooth display" and focus on MR/AR operations
  8. Kuo also says the immersive experience will "significantly surpass existing VR products"
  9. It will be highly integrated with Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade.

Kuo says Apple also has a lightweight pair of glasses coming in 2025, and yes as we mentioned, after 2030, Apple could release a pair of AR/VR contact lenses. Unreal.

The news echoes other reports Apple's VR headset is coming next year. Another previous report claims the headset could cost $3,000 and feature two 8K displays.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9