Since its founding in 1976, Apple has set out to make computing more personal. In recent years, the move from iPhone to Watch to AirPods has fulfilled this vision.
![Is an Apple VR headset coming?](https://20627419.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/20627419/hubfs/The%20Hustle/Assets/Images/471981442-News-Brief-Midroll-Images_2021-01-27T023035.848Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=471981442-News-Brief-Midroll-Images_2021-01-27T023035.848Z.webp)
For many, the next logical step was augmented reality (AR) glasses… like the Google Glass but way less sucky.
According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple plans on releasing a virtual reality (VR) headset as a bridge to AR.
The product is not aimed at the mass market
Apple Insiders believe the product will cost much more than the $300-$900 price tag of commercial VR headsets (e.g., Facebook, Pico, Sony).
Meant to leverage the company’s most advanced chips and display tech, Apple’s VR headset could run as high as a ~$6k Mac Pro desktop.
Upon a projected 2023 launch, Bloomberg writes that Apple might only move ~180k units a year — a far cry from Apple’s typical product volumes that run in the tens of millions.
To reduce weight, Apple plans to use a fabric exterior…
… which is slightly different than the slick metal you’re probably holding in your hand while reading this.
With a VR headset on the market, the Cupertino spaceship can perfect the tech, bring developers on board, and create a content pipeline.
Apple’s acquisition of NextVR — a startup that records concerts and sporting events for VR — was one tangible breadcrumb…
… and another breadcrumb dropped on Monday
Apple announced that its hardware chief, Dan Riccio, will be transitioning roles and taking over an unspecified project.
Per MacRumors, there are at least 3 possibilities for this mysterious-sounding venture:
- VR/AR: Obviously.
- Car: Apple’s self-driving car project has been picking up steam, but it’s already under the leadership of the company’s AI chief, John Giannandrea.
- Title downgrade: Riccio’s new title (VP of engineering) is a downgrade, so the 23-year vet may just be taking a “step back.”
Whatever Riccio ends up doing, we already know Apple’s AR/VR product will be huge and how the product cycle will play out:
![](https://20627419.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/20627419/hubfs/The%20Hustle/Assets/Images/294458147-apple_hype.webp?width=600&height=455&name=294458147-apple_hype.webp)