Is anyone seriously going to buy these at $2K outside of super wealthy hobbiest? No developers will invest for a market that small.
my guess is rumor mill is way off base on this. Apple isn’t that stupid.
I recall the rumors for the original iPad being that it would be an OS X powered $3,000 machine. Basically Apple's answer to the Windows XP tablets of the time.
So-- it's possible they ARE way off.
IMHO; they aren't though. This is the first generation device. It WILL sell, even at $2k. Apple will release a more consumer friendly version aimed at the Oculus Quest market space (but a bit more expensive) in a year or two after this one launches.
The thing Apple has done really well is demonstrate what a technology CAN do, to convince people that they should buy that hardware. Steve Jobs didn't put the original iPod on a table, he pulled it out of his pocket. Because that's what he wanted consumers to see; your entire music library in your pocket.
This device is going to be bought by people who will want to buy it. People buy $2,000 gaming PC's, they'll buy a $2,000 headset if the specs are right. It will be a top-tier VR experience. People will play with it in stores. It'll be an aspirational thing; people will see it as an example of what VR can be. Then, a year later, Apple releases a much cheaper, down-specced version.
The initial product builds the reputation. The reputation that Apple VR is an absolute top-tier experience. It's a lot harder to release the cheap device first, and THEN convince people to buy the more expensive one for a 'better' experience. If the experience isn't spectacular out the gate, then the entire product is a failure.