Apple employees fear MR headset could be an expensive flop
Apple employees are apparently concerned about the company's inbound VR headset, a report claims, with skeptics of the plan worried about the chances of success for the device once it launches.
Apple has allegedly demonstrated its mixed reality headset to its top executives recently, in an attempt to generate excitement for the upcoming platform launch. While executives are keen on the product, others within Apple are not sure it's a home run hit.
Eight anonymous current and former employees told the New York Times that they are skeptical about the headset, despite Apple's apparent glossy demonstration of the technology.
This also includes employees allegedly defecting away from the project entirely because "of their doubts about its potential." Others have also allegedly been fired for not making enough progress on some elements of the headset's features, such as the use of Siri.
Leaders within Apple have also apparently questioned the possibility for the headset to sell well. With design issues surrounding the battery, as well as the expected $3,000 price tag, it seems to be a harder sell to consumers, aside from the most faithful to the company.
Part of the problem is that it is a device in search of a problem, rather than solving an existing one. While the iPod put music in people's pockets and the iPhone revolutionized productivity and communications, some employees feel the headset doesn't have the same clarity to drive it.
There is also some speculation within the company that Apple could delay the release. Products like AirTags were postponed for over a year before release so privacy concerns could be addressed.
However, with manufacturing underway and with a planned launch in June, a delay seems unlikely.
Such a report quoting insiders about Apple's plans are not necessarily accurate in their own right, but the New York Times report is bolstered by reporting elsewhere offering similar notes, including Bloomberg.
There have also been reports that the decision to proceed with the headset in 2023 was also against the advice of Apple's famed industrial design team, who wanted to wait and release lighter AR glasses instead of a headset.
Read on AppleInsider
Apple has allegedly demonstrated its mixed reality headset to its top executives recently, in an attempt to generate excitement for the upcoming platform launch. While executives are keen on the product, others within Apple are not sure it's a home run hit.
Eight anonymous current and former employees told the New York Times that they are skeptical about the headset, despite Apple's apparent glossy demonstration of the technology.
This also includes employees allegedly defecting away from the project entirely because "of their doubts about its potential." Others have also allegedly been fired for not making enough progress on some elements of the headset's features, such as the use of Siri.
Leaders within Apple have also apparently questioned the possibility for the headset to sell well. With design issues surrounding the battery, as well as the expected $3,000 price tag, it seems to be a harder sell to consumers, aside from the most faithful to the company.
Part of the problem is that it is a device in search of a problem, rather than solving an existing one. While the iPod put music in people's pockets and the iPhone revolutionized productivity and communications, some employees feel the headset doesn't have the same clarity to drive it.
There is also some speculation within the company that Apple could delay the release. Products like AirTags were postponed for over a year before release so privacy concerns could be addressed.
However, with manufacturing underway and with a planned launch in June, a delay seems unlikely.
Such a report quoting insiders about Apple's plans are not necessarily accurate in their own right, but the New York Times report is bolstered by reporting elsewhere offering similar notes, including Bloomberg.
There have also been reports that the decision to proceed with the headset in 2023 was also against the advice of Apple's famed industrial design team, who wanted to wait and release lighter AR glasses instead of a headset.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Simply put, $3,000 is not the right price point for any personal media consumption device. This thing is dead on arrival.
- device / form / fit
- capabilities and functionality
- price
The pundits said the same about the iPad, that it would be too expensive and not functional enough.
Better hardware design first of all. It will have higher resolution video and it will be able to do fully opaque visuals. Better image stability, UI, interaction, ecosystem, apps.
There's a video here showing some AR using an iPhone (39:00):
The examples at 41:53 and 42:23 are impressive. The car rolling out of the display onto the keyboard shows what capabilities it has:
This will be useful for 3D creators and it will add another dimension to movies and games. I don't expect the entry-level launch price to be higher than $1499, it could easily be $799 and have more memory/power on higher models e.g Reality at $799 (M3 or R3 if they have a special chip), Reality Pro at $1499 (M3/R3 Pro).
It really depends on what you will be able to use it for, beyond gaming and some pro situations.
It won’t have iPhone level of sales. But maybe it’ll be on par with the Mac Pro, another professional, small quantity, nich product. If it reaches that, I suspect the Apple Board will be very happy. Massive quantities MAY come later, with software, and if this 3D immersive world Meta and others keep talking about ever materializes. Right now I’m not betting on the latter.
I wonder if the goggles would be popular even among younger people for purposes outside gaming or specialty 3D applications. And if this forthcoming device is only as popular as the Mac Pro, Apple will likely take a pounding in the press, and AAPL will suffer as a result.
Who am I? Well, one of Apple's most loyal, since 1984.
MacBook Pro killer even for anyone wanting touchscreen Mac.
Craft 3d items/scenes and beyond in 3D space. Virtual desktop for un-3d apps, USBc dock to charge connect to screen/keyboard/mouse for regular Mac-ing.
That puts you well in the $3000 product range.
Sure several generations down the track can be a mere media consumption device. Even pick on up 4th 5th hand for that.