Apple CEO Tim Cook was interviewed by China Daily, and made an interesting comment when asked about AR headphones.
Reporter: “Chinese consumers are very enthusiastic about VR and AR technologies, but some of them are not very happy with the products currently available on the market. What do you think are the key factors for AR products such as AR headphones to be successful? in the consumer market?
Cook: “That’s a big question. I’m incredibly excited about augmented reality as you know it. And the most important thing for any technology, including RA, is to put humanity at the center. And that’s what we focus on every day. Right now, as an example, we have over 14,000 ARKit apps in the App Store that offer RA experiences for millions of people around the world, but I think we’re still in the early stages of how this will evolve. I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunities we see in this space and I’m looking forward to seeing what we have to offer. “
Last year, Bloomberg, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo Kuo and The Information published reports that Apple was working on a premium headset for VR and AR with high-resolution color transmission. Kuo said the handset will weigh less than Meta’s Quest 2, will feature dual 4K OLED microphones, and will use a new chip with “computing power similar to the M1 for Mac.”
Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Apple is working on realityOS (rOS) versions of its core applications, as well as the ability to view a Mac screen and AR / VR development tools. . References to realityOS were found in the App Store’s upload logs and Apple’s code earlier this year, and an Apple-linked shell company branded RealityOS in May. Apple’s WWDC conference announced a number of tangentially AR-related features, but the company may be waiting for the headphones to reveal its full AR / VR strategy.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Apple’s headphones were delayed until 2023 due to “challenges related to overheating, cameras and software.” The New York Times also reports that the headphones have been delayed until 2023, and its sources say this is due to “the ongoing challenges with its battery.” Both Bloomerg and The Information report that the price of the product is set at more than $ 2,000.