WWDC 2023 | Apple could unveil its first new hardware product in 7 years tonight
Apple is rumored to unveil its mixed reality (MR) headset at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The headset, possibly named Reality Pro, is expected to offer both Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) experiences. Potential use-cases include virtual communication, content viewing, and gaming. The device is anticipated to be priced at a premium compared to existing market options, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggesting a cost of around $3,000.
Would you want to spend more time in Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR)? It is a question which has been hotly discussed and debated by gamers, tech enthusiasts, and companies for some time. If rumours are to be believed, Apple is set to jump into this debate tonight with a product launch of its own — its first new hardware category unveil since 2016! The much-anticipated and -rumoured MR (Mixed Reality) headset is expected to be unveiled at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) tonight. Also expected are a new 15-inch Macbook Air and the usual OS updates.
the last time Apple had introduced a new product category was in 2016, when it launched the AirPods.
Key from Apple's headset perspective appears to be the ability of the device to provide consumers a VR experience as well as an enhanced AR experience relative to other products in the market right now. VR is exactly what the name suggests — a fully immersive experience, much like the metaverse. AR, on the other hand, enables consumers to overlay virtual objects on top of a real world environment. Apple's headset — tipped to be called the Reality Pro — is expected to give users both the options. Hence, Mixed Reality.
But what are the possible use-cases for such a device? Virtual communication, content viewing, and gaming are seen as the big ones. The user interface is expected to be identical to that of the iPhone and iPad home screens, and bloggers expect Apple to offer some of its native apps, like FaceTime and Mail, on the platform from the start. Like other Apple products, this one is also expected to be priced at a premium to what is already available in the market.
Apple's Possible MR Headset Pricing?
| Product | Price |
| Meta Quest 2 | $ 399 |
| Meta Quest Pro | #1,499 |
| Sony PlayStation VR | $ 300 |
| Sony PlayStation VR 2 | $ 550 |
| HP Reverb G2 | $ 600 |
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has predicted that the Reality Pro headset could cost as much as $3,000 — more than twice as much as the Meta Quest Pro.
The International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that the VR device market accounted for about 8.5 million units in 2022, while the AR market had only 0.3 million units. So, in total, this market has less than 9 million units right now. But IDC estimates that it will grow at a solid 24 percent compounded annual grouth rate (CAGR) all the way to 2027.
But why choose to unveil the AR/VR headset at WWDC? The answer lies in the event's ideal platform to demonstrate the device's technological prowess and the array of fresh tools available to Apple's expansive community of over 34 million developers.
First Published: Jun 5, 2023 1:17 PM IST
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