Apple VR headset hits problems, could be pushed back to 2023, sources say
- Development issues related to overheating, cameras and software are forcing Apple to consider delaying the debut of its mixed-reality VR/AR headset
- When it does launch it will face immediate competition, with Meta working on its own mixed-reality headset, known as Project Cambria, that’s likely to be cheaper
Apple is considering pushing back the debut of its mixed-reality headset by at least a few months, potentially delaying its first major new product since the Apple Watch in 2015, according to people familiar with the situation.
The headset – a high-end device that blends virtual and augmented reality – was targeted for an unveiling at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2021, followed by a release later in the year. But development challenges related to overheating, cameras and software have made it harder to stay on track, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.
That could push the announcement until the end of 2022 or later, with the product hitting shelves by 2023, the people said. A spokeswoman for California-based Apple declined to comment.
Apple had previously planned to introduce the headset in 2021 and ship it this year. The company has been developing the device since around 2015 and is counting on it to be the first of many headsets that could eventually replace the iPhone a decade from now.