Apple plans to release its long-watched mixed reality headset “by mid-2022,” followed by augmented reality glasses by 2025, renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a research note with TF International Securities. obtained by MacRumors.
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“We predict that Apple’s MR / AR product roadmap will include three phases: helmet type by 2022, goggle type by 2025, and contact lens type by 2030–2040,” Kuo wrote. “We expect the helmet product to provide AR and VR experiences, while eyewear and contact lens products are more likely to focus on AR applications.”
Kuo said several prototypes of Apple’s mixed reality headset currently weigh 200-300 grams, but he said the final weight will be reduced to 100-200 grams if Apple can resolve technical issues, which would be significantly lighter than many existing VR appliances. Due to a complex design, Kuo expects the headset to be priced around $ 1,000 in the United States, in line with the price of a high-end iPhone.
In line with a previous rumor, Kuo said the headset will be equipped with Sony’s Micro-OLED screens and various optical modules to provide a “see-through AR experience,” adding that the headset “can also provide a VR experience. offer”.
Kuo said the headset will be ‘portable’, with independent computing power and storage, but not quite ‘mobile’ like an iPhone. “When technology improves, we think the new helmet product can also improve mobility,” he said.
Kuo believes Apple’s headset has the potential to deliver “an immersive experience that is significantly better than existing VR products.”
Last month, The information reported that the headset will be equipped with more than a dozen hand-tracking cameras, along with two 8K ultra-high-resolution displays and advanced eye-tracking technology. The cameras could send real world video through the visor and show it to the user.
“While Apple is focusing on AR, we believe the hardware specifications of this product can provide an immersive experience that is significantly better than existing VR products. We believe Apple can highly integrate this helmet with video-related applications (eg Apple TV). +, Apple Arcade, etc.) as one of the main selling points. “
As for Apple’s augmented reality glasses, Kuo expects a launch in 2025 at the earliest, and believes there is “no prototype yet.”
Kuo said the glasses will provide an “optical see-through AR experience” and will be positioned more as a “mobile” product than the mixed reality headset. “While the helmet offers a great immersive experience, the goggles are more focused on providing a ‘mobile + AR’ experience,” he said. Kuo is looking forward to integrating the Apple glasses with the rumored Apple Car, which will likely take several more years.
Finally, Kuo looked far into the future and predicted that Apple will launch “contact lenses” sometime after 2030. He said this product will take electronics from the era of “visible computing” to “invisible computing,” but did not provide further details. .
Apple is committed to mixed reality / augmented reality technologies, said Kuo, who has a “positive view” of Apple’s future in space. Kuo said the main beneficiaries of the headset supply chain are Sony (exclusive display supplier), Pegatron (excluding EMS) and optical components suppliers.