Apple Augmented Reality Rumors: AR Headsets Coming In 2022, Analyst Says

Apple is expected to unveil a lot of consumer electronic goodies and that includes an alleged Augmented Reality headset. While most expected something tied to it to be announced at WWDC 2021, nothing close to it was mentioned by Apple thus far.

However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a new research note that the Cupertino company’s first AR headset is indeed coming and it will likely launch by the second quarter of 2022.

The analyst pointed out the role of Genius Electronic Optical in the production of the headset and how Apple would benefit from this type of technology. It is expected to be part of a new group of AR and VR products that will come from Facebook, Sony and Apple.

“We predict that Apple will launch AR HMD [head-mounted display] devices in 2Q22. The device will provide a video see-through AR experience, so the lens is also needed, and Genius is also a key supplier,” part of the research note read.

There are claims that Apple is working on a pair of AR-related headsets that include a mixed reality device that could be out by either 2021 or 2022. A sleeker pair of AR glasses are reportedly set to follow by 2025.

The update comes not long after it was reported back in March by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg that the AR headsets could be out at some point this year. Unfortunately, nothing has been confirmed so far and the WWDC could have been the perfect event to make such an announcement.

As mentioned in a previous post, the augmented reality headsets from Apple are expected to be a bit pricey. They are high-end solutions meant to target developers rather than public users. No official figures have been given, but outlets hint that a pair could cost roughly around $3,000.

The device is speculated to come with more than a dozen cameras to facilitate tracking and movement. It may also be equipped with two 8K displays and eye-tracking technology, as per The Information.