At the WWDC keynote, Apple is rumored to provide a sneak peek at its first AR headset model, sending a message to businesses like Meta that trouble is coming to their industry. According to one source, the California-based firm will certainly dominate the market for high-end mixed reality headsets, but it will also support Meta along the way.
Millions of prospective buyers won’t be able to afford Apple’s first AR headset at its speculated price of $3,000, which might be one of the reasons why the firm is only anticipated to ship only 100,000 devices throughout the year, translating to about $3 billion in sales. Although the head-mounted wearable wasn’t immediately profitable, Mark Gurman predicts in his most recent “Power On” newsletter that Apple will dominate the higher-end market.
With headsets, Apple will immediately own the upscale market — headsets that cost more than $2,000 — but Meta will remain dominant in the cheaper segment. Meta may even benefit from Apple helping popularize XR, using that buzz to serve consumers who can’t afford a top-of-the-line model.”
The Bloomberg article also claims that Meta may profit from Apple’s first augmented reality headset since it has the potential to make this device as popular as wireless earbuds were. Customers who are unable to buy the insanely expensive Apple AR headset will probably want to test out the more reasonably priced options from Meta, gradually expanding consumer acceptance for this product category.
For the time being, we will wait for Apple’s next keynote at WWDC 2023, the preview of the AR headset, as well as its specific software announcement. We’re hoping that both parts provide a good first impression. Readers may remain tuned for any updates as we release them.