According to rumours, Apple’s mixed reality headset will shortly go into production.

The mass manufacturing of Apple’s mixed reality headset is supposedly planned to begin in March 2023, thus it appears that the device is transitioning from a rumour to a real item that you can buy.
According to DigiTimes (opens in new tab) (via MacRumors (opens in new tab)), Pegatron is the hardware’s production partner. According to the claim based on internal sources, an unveiling might potentially take place in April 2023.

Less than a million pieces were produced during the first phase of production, according to reports. The story also highlights the headset’s exorbitant price, highlighting the fact that, when it is finally released, it will be targeted at “commercial markets.”

Pick your reality.

The gadget is known as a “extended reality” or “XR” headset, according to DigiTimes. It will incorporate both augmented reality (AR), which consists of digital elements superimposed on the real environment, and virtual reality (VR), which refers to totally contained virtual worlds.

Although different businesses typically use different terms, mixed reality is another name for this type of AR/VR hybrid. The Microsoft HoloLens 2 might provide us the clearest indication of what precisely Apple will announce.

Future AR/VR gadgets appear to be on the horizon, but the first one is expected to be a pricey piece of gear that may not always be readily accessible to users.

Analysis: What we believe we already know

It appears that two different gadgets are now being developed: a VR or mixed reality headgear and a lighter, Apple Glasses-style device based on augmented reality, which may resemble Google Glass in terms of functionality and aesthetic.

It’s surprising that the Apple Glasses haven’t materialised at this point. They were generally predicted to appear in 2022, but as the year’s end approaches, there has been no evidence. The mixed reality headgear appears to be the first item to be released right now.

The mixed reality headgear will likely be equipped with high-end components and come with a hefty price tag, according to everything we’ve heard so far. An OLED screen is rumoured to be there, and iris scanning technology is reportedly going to be used for user verification.

We do, however, know that Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is particularly interested in AR and VR technologies, which means that it won’t be long until items in these categories start to arrive, starting in 2023.