Apple’s AR/VR headset mass production has been pushed back to the middle or end of the third quarter of 2023, according to a tweet by Ming-Chi Kuo. The company is “not… very optimistic” about the headset creating an “iPhone moment” and has chosen to delay the device.
This decision adds uncertainty to the headset’s appearance at the 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which the market widely expects. The delay also reduces the 2023 shipment forecasts of the headset to 200,000 to 300,000 units, down from the previously expected half a million units.
Apple’s concerns for the device include anticipation of poor market feedback due to the economic downturn, hardware specification compromises, device weight, readiness of the headset’s ecosystem and applications, and its high selling price. Kuo estimates the headset will be priced at $3,000 to $4,000 or higher.
These concerns echo a recent report from The New York Times, which claimed Apple employees have serious doubts about the headset’s prospects.
Apple recently announced that WWDC 2023 will take place from June 5 to June 9. Until now, it was widely believed that the company would introduce the headset at this event.