Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I can’t predict the future and only hope apple has done its market research.
No one can! But The market research was done with AirPower and it was killed before even being released to the consumer market.

 
I'm excited and optimistic about large, brave leaps in technology. I'm old enough to clearly remember the decades before smartphones, and we didn't "need" those either, but they sure did change the world. It looks like Apple has been carefully, very strategically, developing the necessary technology for this leap (and monetizing every component of it along the way) for quite some time now. I imagine it will do well and usher in a whole new era of innovations and media. Hopefully, even faster than smartphones.

$3000 entry point does sound steep, but is it? Rumors are these devices will have multiple M2 processors. How much are laptops with one M2 processor now? What is the resolution? What does the software stack look like? What sensors does it have? Can it be used for content creation as well as entertainment, collaboration, and communication?
 
I can understand the concern but I’m hoping Apple are looking for a slow burner, releasing the product so they can refine and get a clear direction for it from the consumer. This happened with iPhone, the concept was simple but so much feedback on what it couldn’t do. We always say the world is not ready before a new technology takes over. Whether it takes over immediately or slowly rises remains to be seen
 


Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports.


apple-mixed-reality-headset-concept-by-david-lewis-and-marcus-kane.jpg


Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane

Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone reportedly marks an unprecedented level of concern about a new Apple product inside the company, in stark contrast to previous product launches that were pursued with single-mindedness and enthusiasm.

The first-generation headset is purportedly seen as a bridge to future products that require technological breakthroughs, but many employees are said to have worries about the device's $3,000 price point, utility, and unproven market. Skeptics have questioned if the device is "a solution in search of a problem," unlike the iPod and iPhone. The headset has apparently not been "driven by the same clarity" as Apple's other products.

Some Apple employees have defected from the project due to doubts about its potential, while others have been fired over lack of progress with some of the device's functionality, including Siri. The discontent is said to extend to members of Apple's leadership, some of whom have questioned the device's prospects.

The headset was apparently presented to many of Apple's top 100 executives via a video at a corporate retreat five years ago made by design chief Jony Ive. The video depicted a man in a London taxi wearing an augmented reality headset calling his wife in San Francisco, sharing the sights of London through the husband's eyes.

The New York Times reaffirmed previous reports that the headset will feature a carbon fiber frame, a hip-mounted battery, outward-facing cameras, two 4K displays, prescription lenses for wearers of glasses, and a "reality dial" to increase or decrease real-time video pass-through from the surrounding environment.

Apple has focused on ensuring that the device excels at videoconferencing and time spent as virtual avatars, calling the headset's main application "copresence." There will also be custom high-resolution TV content from Hollywood filmmakers including Jon Favreau. Despite similarities with Meta's headsets and the "metaverse," Apple is expected to pitch the device as something that differs from existing offerings.

The device will also offer tools for artists, designers, and engineers, enabling drawing and image editing in 3D space. There will also be applications for editing virtual reality video using hand gestures. As a result, it is expected to appeal to businesses and design companies more than ordinary consumers. Some employees have allegedly speculated that Apple could again delay the headset's launch, even though manufacturing is now underway for an unveiling in June.

Article Link: Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer
What a dismal article.

Well written! But dismal info :(
 
No one can! But The market research was done with AirPower and it was killed before even being released to the consumer market.

Airpower is a bad example because it’s one of the rare blunders that apple made in mentioning a product prior to understanding the true nature of the product.

I don’t believe it’s the same with this headset. And they may release it to push the envelope.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: aylk
2006…”Some Apple employees are concerned about the company's upcoming internet-connected buttonless phone.”

The iPhone combined
  • The iPod, the then most successful mp3 player backed by the de facto online store for digital music
  • A phone, which people didn't need convincing they needed, with a great texting experience, which again, people did a lot and quite enthusiastically
  • Email and internet. Now these were not as prevalent for most people on the go, but plenty of people were online, used the internet frequently and sent quite a lot of emails.
  • Added features such as YouTube and maps
With the iPhone, no one doubted that anyone needed these things.

There was heated debate over the iPhone's user interface, the all touchscreen design vs physical keyboards and missing hardware features such as 3G for sure. There were even people who thought that all of these should be separate devices, but no one questioned the use case in the first place.

I'm not convinced that is the case here. I'm not saying there isn't a market for AR or VR, even less that there isn't a market for these things done right. But you need to justify it on its own merit and not because the iPhone turned out to be a success, because quite frankly these don't compare.
 
Last edited:
Airpower is a bad example because it’s one of the rare blunders that apple made in mentioning a product prior to understanding the true nature of the product.

I don’t believe it’s the same with this headset. And they may release it to push the envelope.
I respect that. What about Apple Magic Mouse 2? The charging situation is still a hot mess.

1679845972848.jpeg
 
But still there were no reports like that from inside the company before the launch of the iphone, ipad or watch.
exactly, thats why i said "probably" :) but lets not forget 15 years ago, we had no such leaks and so many rumours...internet was still fresh and basic, the "sneak peakers" were still young and un-experienced
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: aylk
Can’t say I blame them. I fail to see the point behind this. Complete waste of time and resources in my opinion. Resources better spent on, oh I don’t know, a more bug free expletive, or longer battery life? Ya know, stuff that matters a heck of a lot more than this rich person and annoying YouTube toy.
First, you know that they can do multiple things at the same time, right?
And second, I think Apple has much better sense of resource allocation than the average MR poster: this definitely matters way more than incremental improvements to battery or solving bugs in a pretty stable OS. I think it’s obvious.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: diandi and Huck
I love the port is on the bottom and I know it gets criticism. Dont understand why.
I think much more has to do with the design and when you are running low on battery and Magic Mouse 🖱️ is dead. It literally becomes useless. It needs to be charged in an unusual way where it can no longer be used.

In my opinion, Apple should have invested in releasing the charging pad instead. Something like this 👇

43F83693-D88C-42E3-ADEB-B64AD2DD7B7C.jpeg
 
I don't understand why these companies are obsessed with going after the corporate market. There's no way my company would buy this so our mostly work-from-home workforce of 6,000 can video chat. Focus on the consumer market, gaming, and useful AR applications.
 
It’s not that I don’t like the product. It’s just I don’t think the world is ready yet. The biggest factor is the $3000 price point. It’s already starting off overly expensive. Niche market product!
I don't think that price is their biggest problem. The iphone was $500, a price unheard of for a mass-phone at the time, and mocked by many. The macbook air was deemed much too expensive and "niche" when it came out. Now an Iphone 14 pro max costs just as much and people with more money than wits still buy it.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.