Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset Faces Delays Due to Software Development Issues

Apple’s much-anticipated Mixed Reality (Reality Pro) headset has reportedly hit a roadblock, as software development issues have led to delays, according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The new report suggests that Apple may produce fewer than 500,000 headsets in 2023.

Kuo, who is known for his accurate predictions on Apple’s upcoming products, has updated his previous statement regarding the hardware development of the MR headset, stating that software issues are now also causing delays. Although Kuo did not disclose the nature or extent of these issues, he indicated that they are severe enough to affect the shipping of the headset.

In a Twitter thread, Kuo said that he expects component production to begin in the first half of 2023, most likely in the second quarter. However, the production forecast for the Reality Pro headset has been revised, with Kuo stating that Apple may now produce fewer than 500,000 units in 2023. This is a significant drop from the industry’s earlier predictions of 800,000 to 1.2 million units.

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Therefore, the delay in mass shipment of this product may hurt optical industry's near-term market sentiment. Major suppliers of Apple MR headset optical suppliers include Largan (lens), Genius (Pancake), Cowell (camera module), Primax (eyeball tracking module), etc.

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) December 4, 2022

It remains unclear whether Apple will postpone the public announcement of the headset, as Kuo has not commented on the matter. However, he pointed out that delaying the launch could have a negative impact on promotion and sales, and it’s essential to maintain a reasonable time frame between the media event and the mass shipment of the product.

Apple’s VR/AR headset is one of the company’s most anticipated products, and it’s expected to offer a revolutionary new way of interacting with technology. The headset is rumored to include advanced features such as eye tracking, hand gesture recognition, and high-quality displays. However, it seems that the software development issues are currently causing setbacks, and Apple may have to delay the release of the mixed-reality headset.

While this is disappointing news for Apple fans, it’s not entirely unexpected. The company has a reputation for delaying its product launches until they are perfect, and it’s likely that the Reality Pro headset will be no exception.