Apple unveiling VR headset at WWDC, says 'last hope' to convince investors

San Francisco, April 6

Apple will reportedly introduce its long-rumoured AR/VR headset during the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, and according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the announcement will mark an important step in the company's efforts to convince investors that the device have a chance to be the next star product.

"There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that AR/VR headsets can become the next star product in consumer electronics in the foreseeable future," Kuo said.

"Apple's announcement event is likely the last hope for convincing investors that the AR/VR headset device could have a chance to be the next star product in consumer electronics," he added.

Kuo in his report further outlines that both Sony and Meta have faced significant struggles in gaining widespread adoption with their respective AR and VR headset products.

"The product lifecycle shipment for Meta's Quest Pro is only around 300,000 units," he said.

Moreover, Kuo stated that Sony has cut its 2023 production plan for the PlayStation VR2 headset by about 20 per cent, while Pico, China's largest AR/VR headset brand, saw its 2022 shipments fall 40 per cent short of expectations.

Meanwhile, Apple will reportedly not bring the under-display Face ID feature to an iPhone until 2025 or later.

According to display analyst Ross Young, the iPhone 15 Pro will not feature under-display Face ID because of technical issues.