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Kuo: Apple's Headset Coming End of 2022, Will Feature 'Pancake' Lenses

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Apple's widely-rumored AR/VR headset is coming at the end of 2022, with shipments to ramp up in the first quarter of 2023, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

apple-mixed-reality-headset-mockup-feature-purple.jpg

In a research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said Apple's headset will feature two "3P pancake lenses," which have a folded design that allows light to reflect back and forth between the display and lenses. This design can allow Apple to release a more compact and lightweight headset.

The Information last year shared the above render of Apple's supposed headset based on a "late-stage prototype" that it viewed. The report claimed the headset will have a curved visor with a soft mesh material, swappable headbands, and more.

Earlier today, display industry consultant Ross Young claimed Apple's headset will be equipped with three displays.

Article Link: Kuo: Apple's Headset Coming End of 2022, Will Feature 'Pancake' Lenses
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/01/05/kuo-apple-headset-pancake-lenses/
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The report claimed the headset will have a curved visor with a soft mesh material, swappable headbands, and more.

“So, we can expect Apple to sell swappable headbands like how they sell for Apple Watches. Different types, colors, and patterns.”

Can you imagine how expensive it's going to be to repair the headset if one of the pancake cameras gets broken? Apple care + is going to be a must-have. 😯
 
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What will we do with this?

Just walk around and fight with Siri and dodge the pop up ADs for Apple Card, Music and iCloud Storage?

They suck at games and at working with actual game dev shops (real ones -- not Apple Arcade silliness)
Hard to be excited about this beyond the hardware itself
 
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iPadified said:
What would be more interesting to know is how these devices will deal with not perfect eye sight.
Click to expand...
Oculus and whatnot let you wear glasses under the headset. I guess in theory they could also some degree of lens adjustment built into the device.

Being nearsighted I have almost the opposite problem. With headsets everything is more clear than I am used to!
 
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Freeangel1 said:
Will this headset be connected to iCloud ? So APPLE can snoop on you?

Collect consumer behavior ? or more.
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Guessing you’re Android user? Apple doesn’t do that. That’s the reason I put up with the limited feature set of Apple, with buggy recent iOS iterations and dumbest smart assistant, to name a few. I know they might be collecting some data but nowhere close to Google.
 
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lazyrighteye said:
[[immediately stops setting cash aside]]
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Hah, it wasn't as much as a dig as it may have sounded like. It's more out of curiosity.

Personally, they'll probably get me to buy it. I'm starting to incorporate some money into this year's budget for it too. But I'm speaking from the perspective of a Diehard-Buy-Most-Things-Apple-Ever-Makes fanboy, what I'm wondering is how they're going to get the everyman.

Edit: I was just digging around some of the earlier rumors for this headset and found this quote, which kind of answers my question, from a Gurman-written Bloomberg report from January of last year (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-to-be-niche-precursor-to-eventual-ar-glasses):

Apple Inc.’s first crack at a headset is designed to be a pricey, niche precursor to a more ambitious augmented reality product that will take longer to develop ...

The initial device has confronted several development hurdles and the company has conservative sales expectations, illustrating how challenging it will be to bring this nascent consumer technology to the masses.

...

Apple’s typical playbook involves taking emerging consumer technology, such as music players, smartphones, tablets and smartwatches, and making it reliable and easy to use for everyone. This time, though, Apple isn’t looking to create an iPhone-like hit for its first headset. Instead, the company is building a high-end, niche product that will prepare outside developers and consumers for its eventual, more mainstream AR glasses.

The plans suggest that Apple’s first headset will be far more expensive than those from rivals, which cost about $300 to $900. Some Apple insiders believe the company may sell only one headset per day per retail store. Apple has roughly 500 stores, so in that scenario, annual sales would be just over 180,000 units — excluding other sales channels. That would put it on par with other pricey Apple products, such as the $5,999 Mac Pro desktop computer. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
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I guess they've already accepted that this product won't be a sales smash and designed it accordingly. Interesting.
 
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M
JDHiro said:
Oculus and whatnot let you wear glasses under the headset. I guess in theory they could also some degree of lens adjustment built into the device.

Being nearsighted I have almost the opposite problem. With headsets everything is more clear than I am used to!
Click to expand...
Me as well so there is hope!
 
As an Apple shareholder, I think investors are making way too big of a deal for Apple VR headset. It's not going to make a dent in Apple's bottom line for many years. Apple does not have killer apps for it and Apple does not have AAA gaming, which is what is driving most VR purchases today.

This is not a mass-market product in 2022. Probably not 2023 either. Maybe 2025 after 3 iterations, lower cost, and an app ecosystem.

What is a mass-market product is Apple Glasses that you can wear at all times throughout the day. Not a headset.

Also, Apple's failed HomePod product is a bit of warning for Apple VR. Yes, the hardware tech will be amazing and will be better than anything else out there. But it will be expensive. Facebook is basically selling the Occulus at hardware cost in order to drive up marketshare and then maybe make money from an appstore in the future. Apple will probably sell this for a much higher price than the Occulus which will make it a niche product in a still niche market, just like the Homepod was.
 
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MacRumors said:


Apple's widely-rumored AR/VR headset is coming at the end of 2022, with shipments to ramp up in the first quarter of 2023, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

apple-mixed-reality-headset-mockup-feature-purple.jpg

In a research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said Apple's headset will feature two "3P pancake lenses," which have a folded design that allows light to reflect back and forth between the display and lenses. This design can allow Apple to release a more compact and lightweight headset.

The Information last year shared the above render of Apple's supposed headset based on a "late-stage prototype" that it viewed. The report claimed the headset will have a curved visor with a soft mesh material, swappable headbands, and more.

Earlier today, display industry consultant Ross Young claimed Apple's headset will be equipped with three displays.

Article Link: Kuo: Apple's AR/VR Headset to Feature 'Pancake Lenses' Allowing for Lighter and More Compact Design
Click to expand...
Would Apple have released the AirPod max to test the market with the weight?
 
I still have no idea what I would do with it in day to day life.
I am not a gamer.
I can see some specific use cases.
If you repair something or are a surgeon, an overlay could give good info. Maybe even for cooking. all this needs powerful software though.
If you are at a conference you could see the names floating of people you need to meet.
When walking using maps you see your destination or waypoints floating.
But none of the example I can think of are essential for daily use.
 
senttoschool said:
As an Apple shareholder, I think investors are making way too big of a deal for Apple VR headset. It's not going to make a dent in Apple's bottom line for many years. Apple does not have killer apps for it and Apple does not have AAA gaming, which is what is driving most VR purchases today.

This is not a mass-market product in 2022. Probably not 2023 either. Maybe 2025 after 3 iterations, lower cost, and an app ecosystem.

What is a mass-market product is Apple Glasses that you can wear at all times throughout the day. Not a headset.

Also, Apple's failed HomePod product is a bit of warning for Apple VR. Yes, the hardware tech will be amazing and will be better than anything else out there. But it will be expensive. Facebook is basically selling the Occulus at hardware cost in order to drive up marketshare and then maybe make money from an appstore in the future. Apple will probably sell this for a much higher price than the Occulus which will make it a niche product, just like the Homepod.
Click to expand...
FaceBook’s goal is to immerse you in their metaverse worlds and get you addicted, so they can totally track literally every move you make, and sell your wasted eyeball time to advertisers. That polarized rabbit hole of misinformation is going to be much deeper and darker.
 
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DeLaSoul said:
FaceBook’s goal is to immerse you in their metaverse worlds and get you addicted, so they can totally track literally every move you make, and sell your wasted eyeball time to advertisers. That polarized rabbit hole of misinformation is going to be much deeper and darker.
Click to expand...
Nah. I think FB's goal is to become an app store with their VR. Right now, they're at the mercy of iOS and Android. They want to control their own hardware and OS.
 
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Owning an Oculus Headset, I wonder what Apple's plans are with VR. VR has so many downsides compared to other types of media. A TV, a radio, a PC, a phone, a tablet... all those can run in parallel to our daily chores. You can enhance your life by using an iPad as a cookbook. You can enhance your life by having your radio turned on to listen to the news.

But for a VR headset, the "Real life" gets switched off. You only have the virtual space you move in, you need a dedicated area in your apartment if you want to really move in that virtual space. It's great for certain games when you really want to immerse yourself in that, but everything else fades away.

Augmented Reality is much more interesting, as it interacts with reality. An AR headset that is advanced enough might allow getting rid of TVs, as "virtual" Monitors could be projected anywhere. Any piece of furniture that is only for decoration or to "look at", can be projected.
Or if an AR headset gets accepted in the public space, pedestrian navigation, highlighting friends in a crowd or... personalized ads in the open space! Imagine the possibilities.

I think, the "switching off reality" aspect of VR disables it from being a breakthrough for humanity.
 
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UltimateSyn said:
I just don't understand how they're going to find mass consumer appeal at the rumored $3k pricepoint. At $1k these fly off the shelves, but $3k puts it into a very niche category (and Apple doesn't do specific business-oriented products like Microsoft does).
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It needs to be $499 or less for me to even consider it - and thats as a person with a high amount of confidence in Apple's ability to execute.
 
senttoschool said:
Nah. I think FB's goal is to become an app store with their VR. Right now, they're at the mercy of iOS and Android. They want to control their own hardware and OS.
Click to expand...
Facebook lets you buy apps (sorry, "Experiences") from a webpage, in their iOS/Android apps, or on the headset itself. Since you don't consume the content/services on the phone, they have no requirements to give the mobile platform vendor a cut. I don't believe they even have restrictions on adult content.

What do you think they are at the mercy of iOS and Android for?
 
For me, I’m a ‘waiter’ on this one. The rumors are really intensifying that this will be Apples next big project outside of tablets and smart phones/Apple Watches, but at what cost and what are the distinct advantages to the consumer over the other ‘VR’s. That’s what I (And assumingly others) want to know specifically.
 
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