Next week at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, the company will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
It’s an event where the next generation of software for iPhones, iPads, Macs and all other Apple products are revealed, along with any new hardware the company has to offer.
2023 could be very different, with rumours and speculation suggesting Apple might reveal their first virtual reality headset next Tuesday morning.
Any such device, being an all-new category for Apple, would be the first new product range since the Apple Watch was announced in 2014.
Perhaps to be called the Reality Headset or something similar, it’s rumoured to be a combination of virtual and mixed (or augmented) reality.
It’s been eight long years since Samsung dabbled in virtual reality, strapping smartphones to our heads in VR headsets for a 360-degree immersive gaming or product experience.
Since then, the landscape is dominated by two main companies: HTC with its Vive range of VR headsets, and Meta (Facebook) and their Oculus.
Just yesterday, Meta’s Oculus range got an update but if the reports are to be believed, Apple will – as it often does – take things to another level.
3D Artist Ian Zelbo produced a conceptual design of what the headset might look like, using design cues from existing products in the Apple range, but it’s yet to be revealed what the rumoured device will truly look like – if it is real, that is.
Entering this space will be a huge gamble for Apple.
Today, VR headsets are fitting into two categories: industry or gaming.
Businesses use them for training and simulation work, while gamers love the immersive all-round experience of a VR headset.
Will that work for Apple in the mass market? And can they keep the prices in check?
Meta’s headsets can be found for well under $1000, while HTC is more often well over $2000.
Given the number of sensors and cameras Apple has likely packed into any such device, it’s possible this new product could be well over $3000 or $4000.
The biggest issue for Apple, if they do get into this product category, is demand. What is the demand from users for this? What will the average iPhone user do with a VR headset?
Only time will tell, but if it is real, all will hinge on how the device is demonstrated and presented to audiences next Tuesday morning.
Source: 9news
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