Apple XR Headset Not Likely to Come Out in 2022 (Like I Said In 2021)

Just posted my 2022 predictions just last week, and this news already dropped this week:

Apple was reportedly planning to put the headset on sale sometime after the [June 2022] WWDC announcement.

Now, however, Apple is said to be exploring the possibility of delaying the announcement by at least a few months, or potentially pushing it back to 2023. If the iPhone maker goes forward with the plan, the device would reportedly start shipping to customers later than planned as well.

According to today’s report, Apple’s hesitance to debut the headset at WWDC in June is the result of ongoing development challenges related to the device’s software and cameras. Additionally, there are reportedly overheating issues caused by the onboard processor.

I don't doubt the hardware issues are an issue, but as I said, "I still fail to see why Apple would risk its brand on a still-niche product as yet." (If Meta announces much greater Quest 2 sales than expected, I would expect Apple's hardware challenges to get solved right quick.)

But even beyond sales, there's the other virtual shoe that hasn't dropped. If Apple has an XR headset... who is making the content for it? Because like I wrote:

[I]f Apple really was aiming for a successful 2022 launch, they'd have third party studios furiously at work making VR games now... but there's no word of that happening. And something like that is very difficult to keep secret.

So still I'm not seeing Tim Cook going up against Zuckberg's Metaverse ambitions just yet.

Comments

[Adeon]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, anything "XR" is probably vaporware.

There is simply no demand for a device that is both AR *and* VR, and having VR capabilities at all means is a terrible AR device.