Apple is expected to show off expensive mixed-reality headgear at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, challenging Facebook owner Meta in a market that hasn’t yet taken off.
The iPhone maker has remained silent on reports that it is ready to unveil headsets for augmented or virtual reality experiences at its annual jamboree for developers and app designers.
The release marks the most significant product announcement by the iconic iPhone maker since it unveiled the Apple Watch in 2015.
There has also been a feud between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg over the handling of their sprawling tech empire, particularly data issues and ties to China. It can lead to even more tension.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in an investor note that Apple is using the WWDC stage to sell a “Reality Pro” headset priced at around $3,000, along with custom hardware for the device. He said there was growing hope that Maid’s software would be spotlighted.
“We believe Apple’s Reality Pro will come with many apps and use cases,” Ives said.
Cook will also discuss the company’s strategy for artificial intelligence, which has been a hot topic since startup OpenAI released ChatGPT late last year.
Ives said the headset has been in development at Cupertino-based Apple for years, with a focus on gaming, streaming video, meetings, and even health and fitness.
It is also expected to closely sync with other Apple devices, following the company’s strategy of using premium hardware to lock customers into other products and services.
“As you can see from all the reports, Apple wanted to release a product that felt more like designer glasses than a gaming headset,” said Jolly Wurmser, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence. We will be releasing a large one in 2019.”
“The company wants to get its devices into the hands of early adopters and developers, who will start building a[mixed reality]ecosystem around Apple software.”
Bloomberg reports that the headset is described as a high-tech ski google that projects the wearer’s eyes and facial expressions onto an external screen.
A few days before Apple’s event, Meta has beefed up its line of Quest virtual reality headgear.
Zuckerberg said the new-generation Quest 3, with improved performance and a slimmed-down design, will be available later this year with a starting price of $500.
The Facebook founder has described the upcoming model as Meta’s “most powerful headset yet” and promised to offer the best wireless way to experience virtual reality.
– Metaverse Bound –
Zuckerberg maintains that Meta will continue to focus on building a future where Internet life takes place in a virtual world called the Metaverse.
“Meta has been a dominant VR maker for the past few years, thanks to their cheap Quest devices,” Wurmser said.
But despite Meta being a leader in the emerging space, its experience with the Metaverse has been humble, with many questioning whether Apple would eventually enter.
And less than two years after changing its name to Meta to reflect its Metaverse priorities, the Facebook giant laid off tens of thousands of staff and promised to get back to social media basics.
Meta’s false start follows the failure of Google Glass, the search engine giant’s decade-long effort that was permanently preserved in March.
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