Looks like Apple fans will have to wait till next year to get hold of the long-rumored combination AR/VR headset from Apple as the hardware is facing several issues regarding its camera, software, and even overheating.
According to a report published in Bloomberg, Apple’s rumoured mixed reality headset could be potentially delayed due to a combination of technical and developmental issues. The report claims the headset was originally slated to launch in 2021 with shipping starting in the first quarter of this year. The company was purportedly eyeing the Worldwide Developers’ Conference in June 2022 to publicly launch the MR headset. Recent setbacks, however, have pushed the reveal back to several months.
The news of a combination AR/ VR headset from Apple was first reported around 2018. It was hinted that the product was in development and would soon be unveiled to the public. Since then, the internet was flooded with rumoured features and specs about this unique hardware, claiming that it would have everything from dual ultra-HD 8K displays to built-in eye-tracking technology, two dozen cameras with hand-tracking support, swappable headbands, and a wide range of controller options.
As per Bloomberg’s report, the headset has been in development since 2015 and it was intended to replace the iPhone over the next decade. It was supposed to feature two processors, of which at least one would be at per with the existing M1 Pro Chip, the same chip used in Apple’s refurbished MacBook Pro. In another report, it was also anticipated that at least one chip would be M1-adjacent. The overheating issues of the proposed mixed reality headset are said to emerge from the high thermal demands of the said chip.
An earlier design of the processors attempted to mitigate this overheating issue by using an external processor. This was supposed to transmit data wirelessly to the hardware. However, this hypothesis was immediately turned down by experts, especially by Sir John Ive.
The said thermal issues, coupled with some more obstacles related to the headset’s camera and software systems, have become a setback. Apple has reportedly informed its supply chain partners that the device will not be commercially available until 2023. This is further confirmed as the cameras for the headset, which is supposed to be manufactured by LG Innotek, are pushed to the second quarter of 2022.
Instead of its much-hyped combination headset, Apple is now believed to be planning for building new apps for AR and VR and kickstart the company’s app store. It is also said to be working on a more advanced pair of AR glasses that will be launched after the mixed reality headset. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO confirmed that augmented reality will be instrumental in the company’s vision moving forward. Therefore, users may expect some exciting AR features in the various aspects of Apple products in the coming future.
While Apple seems committed to AR and VR technology, it explicitly states that it has no interest in building its own metaverse.
