WWDC 2023 was introduced on Tuesday, and the expectation is that Apple will use the occasion to unveil its long-rumored AR/VR headset. Nonetheless, there appears to be some trepidation inside Apple concerning the viability of the headset as a platform—a lot in order that there’s a chance it is probably not introduced at WWDC in any case.
In keeping with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Twitter, Apple has determined to push the meeting schedule for the headset a few months to the latter a part of the third quarter of this yr. This delay might trigger Apple to skip the headset’s anticipated WWDC unveiling.
Kuo, who has a historical past of reporting pre-release data that’s extra dependable than others, additionally reviews that Apple in the reduction of its cargo forecast to 200,000 to 300,000 models, which is decrease than the “market consensus” of 500,000. (Apple has a historical past of conservative cargo forecasts in comparison with the market consensus.)
Kuo’s report paints an image of an organization that’s not assured that the headset will create, as Kuo places it, an “iPhone second.” His report follows one made by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman this previous Sunday, which mentioned that Apple held a demo of the headset for a specific variety of influential staff. Gurman mentioned that whereas the demo was “polished, glitzy and thrilling,” Apple executives “are placing a sensible tone” in terms of its degree of success–at greatest, they anticipate it to develop in an analogous path because the Apple Watch. Additionally on Sunday, the New York Occasions reported on “dissension” inside Apple’s ranks relating to the headset and its potential.
Even earlier than WWDC was introduced, hypothesis ran excessive that the occasion would primarily give attention to the headset {hardware} and the rumored xrOS that runs on it. Anybody on the lookout for hidden meanings in Apple’s WWDC press launch will consider that it gives proof for this–the press launch’s picture has been interpreted as a illustration of Fresnel lenses which might be utilized in VR headsets.
If Apple does resolve to place a maintain on the headset, that opens the opportunity of a fall occasion, which is historically dominated by the iPhone. It’s potential that Apple might make the headset a part of that occasion because it did with the Apple Watch in 2014, although a separate occasion is feasible as nicely to offer correct consideration to the headset and current it as a brand new platform.
Previous reviews have mentioned that Apple is placing a lot of its sources into the headset that the corporate’s WWDC plans for its different working programs (iOS, iPadOS, and macOS specifically) are minimal, with few new main options to be revealed, if any. Ought to the headset be nixed from the WWDC keynote, Apple might select to make use of the stage to indicate off the rumored 15-inch MacBook Air, Apple silicon Mac Professional, or M3 processor.
