Kuo: Apple's AR/VR headset still set for 2022 launch, but expect limited supplies

Apple Vr
Apple Vr (Image credit: The Information)

What you need to know

  • Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple's mixed reality headset will be released this year.
  • Shortages are expected to mean that stocks will run dry into 2023.
  • Apple's headset is expected to cost thousands of dollars and feature up to three displays.

Apple's first mixed reality headset will still come in 2022, according to a new research note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Expectations are that the headset will ship in small quantities towards the end of the year, leaving the device difficult to get hold of for those who are keen to see what Apple has been working on.

In a research note seen by iMore, Kuo notes that while the headset will still hit stores before the end of 2022, it'll be 2023 before people can readily buy one. The headset itself is expected to be a costly one, so it will be interesting to see how that supply and demand situation pans out.

Both Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have previously pointed to a 2022 launch while hedging, saying that production delays could see things pushed back. It's currently expected that Apple will announce the headset during its WWDC 2022 event, likely in June, with developers given time to work on apps ahead of its release later in the year.

Apple is no stranger to supply issues of late, of course. Products like iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7, and more have all seen supply constraints in recent months while AirPods Max were almost impossible to get hold of for a long time following their December 2020 release.

A recent report saw the possibility of three displays being used in the headset, up from the more traditional two.

Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.